There's No Place Like Westeros
by Illaia
Summary: What would happen if a group of Throne Con attendees accidentally end up in Westeros? Let's find out, shall we? (Note: Written in pure fun, so please treat it that way... )
1. Chapter 1

The road was dark and slick from the rain as the black van sped down along the twists and turns of the countryside.

"You're going too fast!" complained a woman in a red wig and medieval dress. "You're going to make us crash!"

"I can't help it if you people have the steering wheel on the wrong side of the car and you're making me drive on the wrong side of the road!" the driver snapped.

"I resent that remark!" the woman replied. "I'm not from England. I'm from Scotland... and only until I was four years old! I haven't been back here since then! And I want to make sure I live to see it another day."

"Will you please stop all the shouting? I've got a headache!" a man groaned from the back seat.

"Yes, please don't make him vomit again," the girl sitting beside him said.

Lyvia glanced into the rearview mirror with a frown. "Has he changed color yet?" she asked.

The girl shook her head, her platinum blond hair flying in all directions. "No, he's still green."

Lyvia sighed and glanced over at Kate, who was now pouting. "Oh, stop it!" she said as she slowed down for a large curve. "It wasn't my idea to drive around Wales before the Con tomorrow. But you and Jon Snow back there, insisted on traversing the countryside for some good scenic shots in your cosplay outfits!"

Kate sighed and sank into her seat, scratching her hair through her wig. "I should have worn my Sansa costume," she said. "My Melisandre wig is driving me batty!"

"I'm Sansa!" a girl with dyed red hair pouted as she pushed herself into the car frame to avoid Jon Snow's groaning and dry heaving.

"You okay back there, Peter?" Lyvia asked.

Peter groaned.

"Do you even know where we are?" the blond girl asked.

Lyvia slowed the car and stopped, pressing the buttons on the dashboard to fire up the GPS system. "I can't get this crappy machine to work." She pushed a button and suddenly all of the characters on the screen looked Chinese. "Shit!"

"Oh, good going, Lyvvie," Kate moaned. "What did you do?"

"I was just pressing this button to make it go to the map so I can see where the hell we are!" Lyvia replied as Kate batted her hand away from the screen.

"Let me do this!" Kate said with confidence. She pressed the menu buttons and other various keys on the screen before beating upon it with her fist.

"Hey! It's a rental!" Lyvia shouted.

"Oi!" Peter groaned. His mouth suddenly pursed and his cheeks blew up like two balloons. "Get out of the way!" he muttered as his hand covered his mouth.

The blond girl squealed and quickly opened the car door to jump out. Peter followed her and doubled over about twenty feet away from them.

"Is he okay, Maureen?" Kate asked.

The blond tossed her long hair from her face and said, "I'm Daenerys, remember? Or you can call me, Dany."

Kate gave Lyvia a strange expression and said, "Okay. Is he okay, Dany?"

Lyvia pressed her lips together and returned the look with a shrug.

Maureen glanced over her shoulder. "He's making a mess in the bushes."

The girl behind Kate popped up and declared, "I'm Sansa today! But I should have worn my Daenerys costume."

"Whatever, Mandy," Kate smiled at her.

"How're the two guys in the back?" Lyvia leaned towards Kate as she looked in the rearview mirror.

Mandy shifted her dress so she could crawl onto her knees and peer over the back of her seat. She poked the two men in the back with her fingers and when they groaned, she turned her head towards Lyvia and said, "They're still alive."

Lyvia sighed and drummed her thumbs on the steering wheel. "We should have followed the signs."

Kate looked through the windshield at the trees and the darkness. "What signs?"

Lyvia nodded. "Exactly," she smirked. She wasn't in a costume. She found wearing them to be uncomfortable and distracting. Instead, she wanted to be the one taking photos of everyone else in costume.

"You could borrow one of my costumes tomorrow, if you want," Kate suggested to Lyvia with a smile. They were about the same size, after all, both tall and lanky, though Kate towered above her by a few inches. "If you wear heels, you can wear the dresses no problem!"

Lyvia shook her head. "You know how I feel about costumes."

"But you always have fun when you wear one! You fit in! And it's fun to see you smile and having fun! You hardly ever have fun anymore."

"I have fun!" Lyvia said with a frown.

"When's the last time?"

"Vegas a few years ago."

"That was for work. It doesn't count! You need to let loose and have fun. Meet a guy, maybe?" Kate gave her a wide grin.

Lyvia shook her head. "I don't think so!"

"You need to loosen up a little, Lyvvie! Sheesh, if you had a guy in your life, you wouldn't be so tightly wound all the time." Kate moaned.

"I'm in England, aren't I?" Lyvia pointed out. "I'm going to Throne Con, aren't I?"

"After I dragged you kicking and screaming through the airport, yeah! Just promise me, you'll have fun... when we get back to the hotel, we can hit the bar and flirt with some guys or something."

"I'll go!" Mandy volunteered. "I love margaritas!"

Kate smiled at Lyvia, who returned in kind with a grin. "Sure," Kate smiled at Mandy as she glanced over her shoulder.

"You need to meet a man," Kate leaned over and whispered to Lyvia.

"I don't need to meet a man!"

"Who needs a man?" Mandy sat on the edge of her seat and leaned on her hands.

"Lyvvie does," Kate laughed.

"Kate!"

"Well, you do! Ever since her husband left her for another younger woman, she's been moping around her house all depressed. I had to drag her to the Con. I begged her!" Kate said.

"You just didn't want to go alone!" Lyvia pointed out.

Kate shrugged as Peter finally crawled back into the van and dropped his head on the back of his seat. "Oh God!" she held her nose at the stench.

Lyvia turned on the air conditioning and rolled down the windows. "Thank God it's stopped raining!"

Kate agreed as she continued to hold her nose.

Lyvia pulled the van onto the road and continued to drive, focusing on the map that Kate managed to pull up on the GPS. She followed the road and its curves, hoping that eventually, she'll find a sign that would lead her back to London.

"Turn here!" Kate shouted as the clouds parted and sheets of rain began to fall again. She rolled up her window and groaned when the stench of Peter's vomit still lingered within the cabin.

Lyvia looked down for a moment to fiddle with the air conditioning. It was only a split-second. She was sure of it. But before she could react, Kate was screaming in her ear to Watch out and she found herself trying to control a moving vehicle as it swerved out of control. She didn't even see anything in the road, but the consequences of the distraction was now coming straight at her as she tried to turn.

The lights went out and the car died. The tree plowed into the van, crushing the fender and most of the front. The airbags did not deploy, oddly. Lyvia had a large gash in her forehead where her head hit the steering wheel.

When she opened her eyes, it was morning and the van sat motionless in the woods. Lyvia shook Kate, but she was still out cold from the bump on her forehead. "Stupid dashboard," she muttered as she glanced behind her at the other passengers.

She frowned when she saw the van was empty. She was positive she wasn't dreaming this whole incident. There were people in the van behind her, she was sure of it. She pushed open the driver's side door and grabbed her purse. Opening it, she pulled out a pen and a piece of paper. She scribbled a hasty note for Kate, instructing her to stay put.

Slamming the car door, she walked around the van to examine the damage. She knew the insurance company will have a serious fit when she gets back to civilization, wherever it may be. "Find the road, Lyvvie," she told herself as she followed the tire tracks back up a small hill. Her lips turned into a frown when she found no road to follow. The tire track merely faded into the dirt of a worn road that led through to a large field surrounded by mountains.

In the distance, she saw horsemen with their white banners, clad in armor. Some of them were in long cloaks with fur around their collars. None of them looked very happy in their situation. She smirked when she used her camera to zoom in on the sigil on the banners. "Direwolf," she whispered. "They must be going to the Con." A veil of relief fell upon her as she realized that they must also be attending the convention in London. "Maybe they know how to get to London."

As she slowly approached them, she saw a man dressed in black, screaming at the others. The guards held him down and one of the men in furs swung his sword and beheaded him. "Oh shit!" she screamed. Her eyes widened when the guardsmen closest to her turned their heads.

"Halt!" one of them screamed as he turned his horse to face her.

Lyvia froze and felt her whole body become numb. Her eyes darted to the little boy in furs, who looked curiously at her, and the older boys who had their hands on the pommel of their swords. She began to slowly back away as the guard approached her.

"I said, halt! In the name of Lord Eddard Stark, I command you to stop!" the guardsman shouted.

She felt foolish but her instincts told her to turn and run. Her legs weren't as fast as the guardsman's horse, however, and she soon found herself trapped, surrounded by the guards. She felt weak and winded as the cold wind cut through her lungs like sharp little pins. Her eyes watered from the pain in her legs. She's too old to be running.

"Who are you?" a young man said from atop his horse.

Lyvia turned towards him and couldn't speak. Her mouth opened and her lips moved, but no words came out. There was no sound, just short gasps.

"She's mute," one of the guards said to the young man. "Captain, she must be a wildling."

"I've never seen a wildling dressed in such strange clothes," he said as he eyed her jeans and woolen coat.

Lyvia cleared her throat as the young man dismounted and stepped closer to examine her. "Eddard Stark," she whispered. "Of Winterfell." Her eyes widened when he nodded.

He pointed to a distinguished man with black hair and grey eyes, who approached on his horse.

"Captain of the guards... you must be Jory Cassel!" Lyvia said in a low voice.

"How do you know my name?" Jory took a step back from her. His dark hair fell to his shoulders and his brown eyes were dark and curious. A crinkle appeared between his eyebrows as he asked her his question.

Lyvia didn't want to tell him the truth, but she knew a lie would be worse. Perhaps, they had already captured her companions from the crash or they knew their whereabouts. "It's very difficult to explain," she said. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"What's taking so long?" Ser Rodrik Cassel said from his mount. He was a stout man with greying whiskers and a firm jaw.

"What's the problem, Jory?" Lord Eddard Stark rode forward and looked down upon Lyvia. His grey eyes were cold as stone as they fell upon her, forcing her to lower her eyes and shrink.

"This woman, my lord, she... seems to know a great deal of the house," Jory lowered his voice.

"Do you have a name?" Lord Stark asked her in a deep voice.

"Lyvia, my lord," she said in a quiet voice. "Lyvia Turner."

"What part of Westeros do you call home, Lyvia Turner?" Lord Stark asked her.

Lyvia glanced up at his emotionless face. "I'm not from Westeros, my lord." She told the truth and she wished she had thought more carefully of her answer. Her eyes found Jory's kind expression as Lord Stark continued his interrogation.

"How did you end up here?" he asked her.

"It's hard to explain, my lord, when I don't know the answer myself."

Ser Rodrik rode up beside Lord Stark and looked down upon Lyvia with an unamused expression on his face. "What is it, my lord? Shall we take her back to Winterfell for a proper interrogation?"

"Very well," Lord Stark said. "It's getting cold and the girl looks like she's freezing."

"Take her back to the castle," Ser Rodrik ordered the guards.

Lyvia walked between two guards and their horses as the rest of the group went ahead. Her feet hurt and she didn't like the smell of the guards and their horses. She didn't know which smelled worse, but she assumed it was the men more than the beasts.

As she was led further and further away from the van, she hoped and prayed that Kate would be safe and hidden until she could go back to find her. She hoped that the others were safe as well and soon, she'd find them so they could all journey back to London together.


	2. Chapter 2

"We found two more deserters from the Night's Watch, my lord," Ser Rodrik Cassel said as Lyvia sat in Lord Eddard Stark's office.

"What is happening?" Lord Stark muttered as he gave Lyvia a chilly glance with his cold grey eyes and stood up from his seat.

Lyvia lowered her eyes, but listened carefully to their conversation.

"Two, you say?" Lord Stark asked.

"Aye. They were dressed in black and they seemed confused. They will bring them to Winterfell, if you so desire, my lord. But I don't see what they could possibly say," Ser Rodrik replied.

"Law is the law," Lord Stark stated. "But I have to wonder what is driving these men away from the Wall? What could possibly up there that frightens them so?" His voice lowered. "Ask Jory to come up, Ser Rodrik," Lord Stark said as he returned to his seat.

"Two more deserters?" Lyvia asked. "I thought… that man you executed earlier. I thought he was the only one found." She searched her memories for any mention of more deserters in the book. Of course, there were always deserters, but the one she remembered was already dead. Will, the ranger who served with Gared and Waymar Royce, was the one Lord Stark beheaded… at least in the television show.

Her eyes flashed up to Lord Stark's face as he observed her.

"What do you know of the deserter, who was executed?" he asked.

"I just know that the Brothers of the Night's Watch take an oath to protect the realm on the Wall. And if they leave without permission, they are labeled a deserter and they are punished by execution."

"And where did you find this knowledge?"

"I read," she said quickly as a knock sounded on the door.

"Enter," Lord Stark called.

The wooden door opened silently and Jory Cassel stepped in. He gave Lord Stark a short bow and nodded to Lyvia. "My lord, you sent for me?"

Lord Stark nodded. "I am going to question the two deserters they found once they are brought to Winterfell. I need you to keep an eye on our guest, here. I'm sure she won't be any trouble."

"My lord, should I put her in one of the cells?" Jory asked.

"If you feel she is a threat to our safety, you may," Lord Stark replied.

Jory was at a loss for words as he took a quick glance at Lyvia. "What am I to do with her?"

"My lord, these two deserters - were they dressed in the black of the Night's Watch?" Could they be the two guys who slept in the back of the van? She couldn't remember what they wore, nor could she remember their names. What about Peter or Maureen or Mandy?

"I suspect as such. They were identified as members of the Brotherhood by the guards," he gave her a calming stare. "Why do you ask?"

"I am missing members of my party, my lord," she replied. "And I am trying to locate them so we could all go home."

"And where is that?" he leaned forward and his eyes turned cold once again.

"You would think me mad, my lord," she replied. "It's far away… too far to know the exact distance."

"Like in the Free Cities?" Jory asked with his arms crossed. "That would explain the strange clothes."

"I would say beyond the Free Cities," she said. "Way beyond, the Free Cities." She didn't know how to explain that she was from another time and place, especially when she didn't understand it herself.

Jory looked confused as she said those words and he gave Lord Stark a strange expression.

"I just don't belong here. There are seven of us here and we don't belong in this world," she said to Jory. Turning to Lord Stark, she sighed. "I know it's difficult to understand, my lord, but please… I need assistance in finding my companions. I don't know the lay of this land and they could be anywhere. I know the location of only one of them, and I pray she's still there and safe."

"Where?"

"I left her in the van… in the woods, my lord, before I came across your riding party."

"Jory, take her back to the woods and find her friend and bring them back here," Lord Stark said. "I want to keep control of the situation as much as possible."

Jory nodded. "Yes, my lord," he replied. "Come along." He led her out of the office and down to the courtyard where the Stark boys were sparring with their swords.

Lyvia stopped for a moment to watch them. The tallest boy with dark auburn hair and grey eyes swung his sword at a dark-haired boy with a cocky smile. The two smaller boys, both with dark auburn hair, sat and watched with smiles on their faces. "Those are the boys, right? Robb, Brandon, and Rickon?" Lyvia asked Jory.

Jory nodded. "And Theon Greyjoy, Lord Stark's ward."

Lyvia nodded with a groan.

"You don't like Theon Greyjoy?" he asked.

Lyvia pressed her lips together and didn't say a word. "I guess I don't know him," she replied. She knew him. She knew what he was capable of doing and what he would eventually do. But she knew that if she breathed a word of the future of this world, she might inadvertently change it. Even a fictional world has its timeline and she didn't want to mess it up.

She followed Jory to the stables, where a giant of a man lumbered forward. "Hodor," she breathed as she looked up at his face. She stared into the brown eyes and his blank expression.

"Hodor?" he asked as Jory passed him.

"Oh my God!" a girl screamed.

Lyvia turned to find Mandy racing towards her. She felt relieved to see a familiar face. "Mandy? What is it? Where have you been?"

Mandy was breathless as she doubled over. Her dress was torn along the hem and her red hair was in disarray. She caught her breath and pointed at the guardsmen, who slowed down and then stopped when they saw Jory behind them. "They were chasing me through the woods!" she said with a gasp. "They kept calling me a wildling! Do I look like a wildling? Really! I worked hard on this Sansa costume!"

"Sansa?" Jory asked with a raised eyebrow.

Lyvia quieted Mandy down. "This is Jory Cassel," she said to her. "The Captain of the Guards in Winterfell."

Mandy gave her widest smile. "Wow, you really did a great job on your costume," she said to him. "I didn't know they were having a full-sized role playing thing going at the Con. Why didn't you tell me, Lyvvie?" She fussed with the nest of hair on her head as Jory looked confused.

"Costume?" he asked Lyvia. "Is this woman one of your companions? She may have hit her head and become delusional. I can send for Maester Luwin if you'd like."

"It's not necessary, believe me," she told Jory. "Mandy, where are the others? Where did you go after the accident?"

Mandy thought for a moment. "I don't know… I remember Kate screaming and then everything went dark with the lights going out in the van. I woke up in the middle of nowhere! And I got chased by some thing in the woods and it got the hem of my dress." She pointed at her light salmon colored dress and lifted the hem to examine the tear.

Jory turned his eyes away from her, sending Hodor into the stables to fetch another horse. "Will you not be needing a horse to go search for your companion?" he asked Lyvia.

"I need her to stay here and be watched while I go with you," she said.

"You suspect she may cause trouble?" he whispered in her ear.

"I think she may be trouble," Lyvia replied as Mandy fussed over her dress. "Mandy…"

Mandy sighed and turned towards Lyvia. "What's happening?"

"I need you to stay here while I go find Kate. Can you do that?"

"Well, of course I can… but where's Kate?" she asked.

"I left her at the van. And I left her a note to stay there," Lyvia said. "You can stay here in Winterfell and keep out of trouble, all right?" She paused for a moment and thought of one more thing to tell her. "And do not under any circumstances reveal any spoilers."

"I don't reveal spoilers, unless they ask me," Mandy said.

"I could have one of the guards watch her," Jory suggested.

"Is Septa Mordane busy?" Lyvia asked.

"Septa? Seriously? I'd rather spend time with Sandor. Is Sandor here?" Mandy moaned.

Lyvia's face turned pink as her face twisted into an exasperated expression. She glanced at Jory, who stifled a smile as he checked the saddle on his horse. Turning back around, her eyes narrowed on Mandy, who didn't seem to understand the concept of keeping a low profile. "Look, you need to keep things like that to yourself."

"Why? We're all cosplayers here… well, except for you," she commented.

"This is not a cosplay role playing theme park," she said in a hushed voice. "I think we're really in Westeros and this is Winterfell. We don't belong here. And the sooner we find everyone and get out the better off we'll all be."

Mandy released a cackle of laughter that attracted the attention of the Stark boys and Theon Greyjoy as well as the other workers around the castle. "You're pulling me leg!" she said aloud with a loud laugh that pierced Lyvia's ears.

"Are you sure you don't want me to call the guards to watch her?" Jory asked.

"She'd probably be safer in one of the cells in the dungeon," she replied as Hodor appeared with a horse. "Thank you, Hodor."

Hodor gave her a quick grin and replied, "Hodor!"

Mandy squealed. "Oh! A Hodor!" She pointed as though she had seen a movie star.

Hodor dropped his grin and stared at the girl with a confused expression.

"Oh! Can you carry me? Like you did Bran…" she started when Lyvia gripped her under the arm and pulled her aside. "What…?"

"You can't say things like that! It's not happened yet! We don't want to change anything in the timeline… we can't do anything that would change the story!" Lyvia said.

"What are you going on about?" Mandy asked with a frustrated expression. "Oh! Is Peter here? Is he playing Jon Snow? Where's Jon Snow?" She glanced around the courtyard to find a dark haired boy standing with the two youngest Stark boys as they watched Robb and Theon spar with their swords. "There he is! Jon! Jon Snow!" She waved frantically.

Lyvia had to grip her by the upper arms and shake her. "Mandy! Are you crazy? What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm enjoying myself while I'm here. Westeros or fake Westeros, it doesn't matter. This is supposed to be my fun weekend." She waved as the dark haired boy with a flirtatious smile.

Jory checked the saddle on her horse before turning to her with her reins. "Are you ready to go?"

Lyvia shook her head. It was clear that she couldn't leave Mandy alone in Winterfell for fear that she may say something stupid or worse something that would change the story. She glared at the red-haired girl as her mouth twitched with irritation. "I can't leave her here alone," she told Jory.

Jory laughed at her and for the first time she saw the softness in his eyes. "Did you want me to get another horse saddled?"

Lyvia sighed and glanced at Mandy. "Can you ride?" she asked.

Mandy shook her head. "I hate horses. They smell." Her nose crinkled.

Lyvia shook her head. "Perhaps the Septa could watch her…" She turned to Mandy before she could say a word and snapped at her. "No arguments," she said.

Mandy opened her mouth to protest but closed it again.

"I'll go and inform the Septa to expect a new student," Jory said with a smirk.

"I'll come too!" Mandy ran after him and hooked her arm in his. She glanced back at Lyvia with a wide grin as Jory led her back inside the castle.

Lyvia shook her head and hoped that Mandy would remember her requests and not open her big mouth when she was with the Septa and her students. Fat chance of that ever happening, she thought. Her eyes caught the passing glance of Jon Snow as he stood with his half-brothers. What's going to happen when the King arrives?


	3. Chapter 3

Lyvia rode on her horse through the woods, careful to keep close to Jory and the few men he brought with him. Her face twisted when she didn't recognize any of the trees around her and she frowned.

"What's wrong?" Jory asked.

"I don't know where I am," she said, peering around the trees for anything familiar. "Where did you find me again?" She glanced at Jory, who stared at her curiously.

He led her to the edge of the clearing and in the distance she saw the birds circling the bloodstained stump. She turned her horse back towards the woods and started through the trunks until she recognized the road that curved behind a cluster of trees. She stopped and turned to Jory.

"Could you wait here?" she asked.

"I am to accompany you," he said firmly.

She sighed and glanced back at the men behind him. "Well, can _they_ stay here?" she asked.

Jory turned his head towards his men. "Wait here," he told them.

The men nodded and remained on the road, waiting patiently as Lyvia road ahead and disappeared behind the cluster of trees.

She didn't wait for Jory to catch up before dismounting and opening the van's driver side door. Glancing in, she found her note on the floor of the vehicle, but Kate was gone.

"By the Gods!" Jory declared as he rounded the corner. His horse whinnied and stepped back uneasily from the giant metal beast as it sat lifelessly against a tree. "What is this creature?" He unsheathed his sword.

Lyvia rolled her eyes as she heard him draw his weapon. She turned her head to see Jory poke the side of the van with the tip of his sword. "Stop that!" she said. "It's not alive, all right?" She reached into her purse and pulled out her cell phone. Glancing at it, she frowned. _Why would I even think there's cellular service here?_ With a smirk, she turned to Jory as he reared back with his sword and took his photograph with her phone's camera. "No one's ever going to believe this!" she muttered as he scratched the rear corner of the van's frame, breaking one of the taillights.

"Hey!" she screamed. "Stop it!"

"What is this thing?" he asked, poking at it.

"It's called a car," she replied. "Anyway, it's not alive." Her brows furrowed when she saw Kate's purse on the floor near the passenger's seat. She reached in, her legs sticking out of the opening, flailing as she reached for the small bag.

"Your friend is not here…" Jory stated. "This beast probably ate her." His hand slid warily on the dusty surface of the van, hesitating his stroke when she jostled the car and it moved.

"It's not alive," she said. Her fingers pulled the key from the ignition and stuffed them into her purse along with her cell phone. She was actually glad she brought her bigger purse for this trip, though she didn't expect to be carrying so much. She also managed to stuff Kate's purse into her bag before slamming the car door shut.

Jory circled the metal beast carefully, poking the tires with the tip of his sword. He jumped back when one started to hiss at him.

"Did you poke a hole in the tire?" she asked.

"I was merely assessing the beast," he replied.

"It's not going to hurt you. I don't think she left willingly," Lyvia said as she placed her hands on her hips. She glanced around the area for any signs of Kate or her abductors.

"Do you believe she was taken?" he asked.

She shrugged. "It's likely. Her purse was still inside and she wouldn't go anywhere without it." Her eyes caught his concerned face as he eyed the van suspiciously. "It's fine," she said, patting the metal door.

"The strange clothes… the metal beast… you're not telling me the entire truth, Lyvia Turner," he said, sheathing his sword. "Is this the thing that's driving the men of the Night's Watch, brave men I might add, from the Wall?"

She shook her head. "Of course not! We've only just arrived today, I think…" She thought for a moment and even she didn't know when she arrived. She just remembered the darkness and then waking up in the woods. She could have been unconscious for days for all she knew. Her hands grasped the first loose branches she could find and pulled them over the van to cover it.

"Lord Stark must be told of this," he said, backing away from her and the car.

"What are you going to tell him? He'll either think you're mad or I'm some kind of witch…" She gathered more branches and tossed them onto the top of the van.

"It's my sworn duty to protect the Starks and Winterfell," he said to her. "I will do what I must to keep them safe." He mounted his horse and stared down at her. His eyes narrowed as she stared up at him. "You're not fooling anyone with that."

"I wouldn't hurt the Starks or Winterfell," she replied. "But I have to find her."

"You won't find her here," he replied. "And you don't want to keep that strange girl with the Septa too long."

Lyvia cursed under her breath. Glancing around once more, she released a deep sigh and climbed onto her horse. She followed Jory back to the road, where the men still waited patiently, though they looked a little worried.

"Captain," one of the men said to Jory. "Was there a problem? We thought we heard something…"

Jory gave Lyvia a hard stare and shook his head. "We didn't find the girl," he replied. "She must have taken off or she may have been taken against her will."

"She may have followed the road and back to the village," another guard said.

"What does she look like?" Jory asked. "Her description."

Lyvia frowned. She assumed Kate still had on her red dress and her red wig, since she didn't find it in the car. "She has long fiery red hair and she was wearing a red dress. Her name is Kate Wilson." She gave Jory a soft smile, but his face remained emotionless.

"Ride ahead and see if anyone matching that description had been seen in the area," he commanded. He sat and watched as the guards rode ahead. "I will have to tell Lord Stark," he said in a low voice.

She nodded. "I know," she replied. "I just hope it doesn't change anything." She didn't look at him as she thought of the consequences of her presence in Westeros. There were seven people in their world, who did not belong. She was one of them. Mandy was another.

"Lord Stark is fair and just," Jory said proudly.

She nodded. "I know," she replied as Jory moved his horse closer to hers.

She moved her horse along the road slowly, wondering where Kate had gone. Hopefully, she reached the village by Winterfell, but how could she move so quickly and without a horse? Was Kate traveling through the woods alone? She shook her head as they reached the gates and entered into the courtyard.

Hodor gave her a strange smile. "Hodor?"

"Thank you," she said as she dismounted. "Take me to Septa Mordane," she said to Jory.

He nodded and led her through the castle until they reached a fairly quiet room with a burning hearth and several girls sitting in a circle with their needlework. Mandy sat in a corner with a pout on her lips as she pricked her fingers each time she pushed her needle through her fabric.

A little dark-haired girl with big grey eyes frowned at her lap and the result of her crafting as a woman with thin lips and a bony face crouched by a red-haired girl with blue eyes.

"Well done, Sansa!" the woman said in such a lyrical voice, she almost sang her praise.

"Thank you," the girl said to the woman with a smug smile that made the little girl red.

The woman rose and turned to Jory with a straight line for lips. "Have you come to claim that thing back?" she asked, pointing at Mandy, who was too busy trying to get her stitches straight to even notice.

"Septa Mordane," Jory said politely. "What has she done?"

"She has done nothing but sing about the Starks… all of them. From Eddard… to Catelyn…to Robb, and Sansa, and Brandon, and Arya, and Rickon! Then, she goes on and on about a hound and a little bird and how they might fall in love." She eyed Lyvia.

Lyvia blushed and glared at Mandy, who was still busy with her needle.

"The girl is touched, I tell you… I almost sent for Maester Luwin."

"Jory…" the little dark-haired girl said with a smile as she stared at Lyvia with her grey eyes.

"My apologies, my lady," Jory said with a smile. "This is Lyvia Turner… she's a friend of Mandy's. This is Arya and Sansa Stark."

Arya twisted her face into a strange frown when he mentioned Mandy, but it soon returned to normal when he introduced Lyvia. She dropped her needlework and bounded to Jory and Lyvia with a huge grin. "Are you staying in Winterfell?"

"Arya! It's none of your business!" Sansa said, rising gracefully. She turned to Lyvia and Jory with a polite smile and curtsied.

Lyvia smiled at the two girls before glancing over to Mandy. She cleared her throat. No response. She grinned at the girls again and licked her lips. Clearing her throat again, this time a little louder, she caught Mandy's gaze.

"Lyvvie!" she said, throwing her needlework to the floor. "I'm so glad you're back! Did you find Kate?"

Lyvia shook her head.

"She may have wandered off or she may have been taken," Jory said, forgetting that Arya and Sansa stood before them. He drew in a deep breath when he realized his mistake.

"Taken? Kidnapped?" Arya asked.

"It's none of our business, Arya," Sansa said through gritted teeth. "We hope you find your friend soon." The girl was polite and sincere as she tugged her sister away.

Septa Mordane gave a nod of approval to Sansa as she returned to her seat to continue her needlework. Her eyes narrowed at Jory, however, who seemed to shrink from the Septa's gaze.

Arya picked up her needlework, but kept turning her head back towards Lyvia and Mandy. "Concentrate, Arya," Septa Mordane said sharply. Her skirts rustled stiffly from the excess starch in them.

"What are we going to do now?" Mandy asked.

Lyvia shrugged. "I don't know. We need to find the others. But I'm worried about Kate. She should have stayed in the car!" Her voice rose and she turned pink when she met Septa Mordane's stern gaze from across the room.

Jory led Lyvia and Mandy back out to the hallway.

"Those two deserters… where are they?" Lyvia asked.

"Two deserters? I thought there was the only one…" Mandy commented.

Jory looked at the two of them and frowned. "I don't know if they've been brought yet," he said. "I can check with my uncle."

"Oh! Ser Rodrik!" Mandy said with a beaming smile.

Jory nodded. "Perhaps one of the guards could watch her while you speak with Lord Stark?" he asked Lyvia.

"Do you think that's wise?" she asked in a whisper.

"She may unintentionally influence Lord Stark," Jory said.

"We're not here to harm them," Lyvia reassured him.

He nodded. "You'll forgive me if I hesitate in accepting your words," he said. "I've discovered from a young age that men and women and children lie. It's their actions that speak the truth."

Lyvia nodded. "I understand," she said to him.

Jory's lips curved slightly into what may be interpreted as a smile. He showed no teeth, but the corners of his mouth lifted up just slightly before her eyes. "I'll take you to Lord Stark," he said.

"Oh! I get to meet Ned!" Mandy smiled. "I bet he's handsome…"

Jory gave Lyvia a strange look.

"Mandy, you must not be so familiar with everyone. He's Lord Stark. Not Ned."

"But that's his name, isn't it?" Mandy asked.

Lyvia sighed. "Do you remember what I said about where we are?"

"Of course!" she replied.

"Please act like it then," Lyvia sighed. "Jory's going to have a guard watch you while I go speak with Lord Stark."

"Why can't I come?" Mandy asked with a frown.

"The office is too small for all of us!" Lyvia lied.

Jory raised and eyebrow and led them out of the castle and into the courtyard. He turned his head to the shouts of Robb and Theon Greyjoy as Bran practiced with his bow.

"Oooh! Archery!" Mandy said, drawn to the boys like a child to candy. She stood silently behind the boys, watching Bran shoot his arrow while the older brother coached him. She was so oblivious that she didn't even notice a grey direwolf pup lift his leg on her dress.

"Mandy…" Lyvia said, but Jory stopped her.

"I think she'll be fine," he said to her. "Come, before she turns around and follows us." He grasped her hand tightly and led her back into the Great Keep.

"Lord Stark," Jory said, opening the door.

Eddard Stark sat at his desk with a hand to his brow. He glanced up at Jory and said, "Yes? Did you find her companion?"

"No, my lord. She was gone."

"Gone?"

"We are not sure if she wandered off or if she was taken unwillingly," he replied as Lyvia held onto his hand tightly.

Lord Stark's eyes fell to their connection and for a moment, there was a little spark in his eyes that seemed kind. He glanced over to Lyvia. "Was there any signs of struggle or distress?"

She shook her head. "She left her purse, my lord. That's the only thing I can think of that would suggest she was taken forcefully. She would never leave her purse behind."

Lord Stark thought for a moment. "I could send a small group of men to go search, but night will be coming soon." His face turned grave. "But the longer we waste, the chances of finding her safe becomes lower."

"And the deserters, my lord?" she asked.

"They are bringing them here, before they are bound to the holdfast out on the hills," Lord Stark said.

She glanced up at Jory's face with a horrified expression.

"If they are deserters, they must be punished," Jory said plainly, releasing her hand.

Lord Stark nodded as Ser Rodrik walked in.

"My lord, the prisoners are here. I've had them take the men down into the dungeon," he said.

Lord Stark stood and draped his cloak over his shoulders. "See that she is fitted into the guest house for now," he said to Jory as he walked out of the room.

"Guest house?" Lyvia asked.

Jory nodded. "I'll show you." He extended his hand out to her again.

She hesitated for a moment before letting her fingers glide into his palm.


	4. Chapter 4

"You like him!" Mandy declared after Jory Cassel left them alone in the guesthouse.

Lyvia shook her head and scoffed at the red-haired girl that sat wide-eyed on a wooden chair. "No…" she replied. "I can't like him." She sat across from her in what looked like a crudely built couch of wood and fur. Sinking into her seat, she released a deep sigh. "We both know what's going to happen to him… I can't have feelings for him. It would be no use."

Mandy played with her hair. "I think you should kiss him anyway."

"You're not listening, are you?" Lyvia asked.

"Why are we in here anyway? We should be enjoying our time in Winterfell. Party with the Starks."

"We need to find the others," Lyvia said. She stood up walked to the door.

"Where are you going?"

"I need to take a walk," Lyvia replied.

"I'm coming with you, then." Mandy sprang to her feet and straightened her dress. She did look a little like Sansa, at least costume-wise, but she was a little heftier than the Stark girl and also older. With a smile, she followed Lyvia out to the courtyard, where Lord Stark and Ser Rodrik came from within the Great Keep.

Lord Stark looked dissatisfied as he strode towards the kennels, passing them. Ser Rodrik stood back and watched him disappear.

"Ser Rodrik," Lyvia said softly.

The large man with the grey whiskers gave her an odd look out of the corner of his eye. "Aye," he said with a grunt.

"The deserters that were brought…" she hesitated. She wasn't sure if she should ask him or Lord Stark, but since Eddard Stark had already gone off, she had no other option.

"What about them?" he asked.

"Has Lord Stark spoken to them yet?"

"Aye, he has."

"And, who are they?"

"They won't say. But they are dressed in what appears to be the black of the Night's Watch," Ser Rodrik stated.

"What's going to happen to them?" Mandy asked in a loud voice.

Ser Rodrik gave her a glare, but it didn't seem to faze her. "They'll be taken to the holdfast until the morning. And then, they'll be punished for their actions."

Mandy gave him a blank stare and turned to Lyvia with a squeal. "This con is the best! An actual execution? How will they pull that off, do you think? Dummies? It has to be dummies, right? Like on television?" Mandy bounced happily in place as Ser Rodrik took a step back from them.

"Shall I call Maester Luwin?" he asked.

Lyvia shook her head. "There's no need, Ser Rodrik. I'll take care of her."

"It's time for supper anyhow. You can go to the Great Hall, there." Ser Rodrik nodded and returned into the Great Keep.

"Mandy," Lyvia said.

"Why does everyone look at me like I'm crazy?" she pouted.

Lyvia gave her a smile and held her tongue. Instead, she grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the Great Hall.

"Where are we going?" she whined. "I'm tired and I don't want to walk anymore." She slouched and started to drag her feet.

"A second ago, you were bouncing off the walls!" Lyvia commented. "And now you're tired?"

"I'm bored now." She kicked the dirt at her feet.

"Are you hungry?" Lyvia asked.

"I guess… oh! Maybe it's like those medieval times buffet dinners… and they joust in front of you while you're eating!" Her blue eyes lit up as she pulled Lyvia behind her.

Rushing towards the entrance to the Great Hall from the courtyard, Mandy literally ran over Theon Greyjoy and Robb Stark. Her face flushed as she flung her hands to her face and cried. "Oh! I'm so sorry, Robb!" she sobbed.

The young man stood up and dusted himself off with a confused expression on his face. He laughed at her and her clumsiness. "And who might you be?" he asked Mandy.

"Umm… my name…? My name is… umm… Mandy," she said as she bit her lip.

Robb Stark's blue eyes stared at her curiously. "Mandy… of which house?"

Mandy didn't answer him because she was too busy staring dreamily into his eyes.

Robb's jaw clenched and the muscles in his neck twitched as he swallowed uneasily. Theon rose to his feet with a scowl. "Who's the cow?" he said harshly with narrowed eyes.

"This is Mandy," Robb introduced to Theon with a slap on his back. "Be polite to our guest." His eyes darted to Lyvia, examining her from her head to her feet. "And who might you be?"

"My name is Lyvia, my lord," she said.

Lord Stark approached them.

"Father," Robb said with a grin. "These ladies…"

"Go inside," he growled at the young men as he grasped Lyvia by the arm and pulled her aside. "You must tell me what is happening," he said in a low voice.

Mandy followed them, but was quickly turned away by Lyvia.

"My lord…" Lyvia sighed. "I don't know what I can tell you."

"You can tell me who those men are in the dungeon. You must know them. You keep asking about them," he said.

"I do not know their names, my lord, I don't think I ever learned them. But are sure to have identification on their person if they are who I think they are."

"They are classified as deserters," he said. "They must be punished. And I am not about to sully my reputation by not administering the King's justice. The law is the law."

"But, my lord, if they are not from the Night's Watch…"

He glanced at her with his cold grey eyes. "If they are not from the Night's Watch, I have to wonder why they are dressed in their uniform… Are they wildlings come to undermine the King?"

"We are not wildlings, my lord. We just want to go home."

He led her down into the dungeons, where it smelled of urine and vomit. With such darkness around her, she couldn't tell where he was headed. The torch he carried lit only parts of the walls around them and the small cells.

"Here," he said as he stopped in front of a cell with two men, sitting on the floor.

Their clothes were torn and dirty. Their faces were smeared with dirt, but she could see the bright blue eyes of one of them and the hazel eyes of the other when Lord Stark pointed the fire towards them. They didn't say a word when she stood by the cell door, but eyed Lord Stark warily.

"What are your names?" Lord Stark asked, holding the torch aloft so they could see a shadowy part of Lyvia's face.

The one with the hazel eyes stood and limped forward. "Bitch!" He spat at her. "Where did you being us?"

Lord Stark stared down at Lyvia, who had no response. "Do you know these men?"

"Of course she does. She brought us here to this Godforsaken world." He reached through the bars with desperate fingers curved and grasping for Lyvia. "We don't belong here."

Lyvia stared into the young faces of the men and tried to remember their names. "Ian and Brian," she whispered.

"It's Ethan," the man with the hazel eyes groaned.

"I'm not good with names," she said in a low voice.

Brian continued to sit on the floor by the far wall silently, staring at Eddard Stark and Lyvia.

"What's going to happen to them?" she asked Lord Stark.

"They were identified as Brothers of the Night's Watch, but since that was a mistake…" He shook his head. Turning without a word, he walked away from the cell, taking the light with him.

"Don't forget about us," Ethan's voice echoed down the chamber after Lord Stark and Lyvia.

She followed him, wondering what Lord Stark meant to do with the two men. "Can't you release them?" she asked.

"I must speak with Ser Rodrik," he said as they entered the main hall of the Great Keep. His grey eyes turned soft when he glanced at her. "I will inform you of my decision once I've spoken to Ser Rodrik. In the meantime, please go get some supper."

"Aren't you going to have supper with your family, my lord?" she asked.

"I'm not hungry," he replied, leaving her in the hall alone.

Lyvia stood for a moment, watching him walk away as though he had the world on his shoulders. Turning towards a fog of voices that drifted in from the other end of the hall, she took her first step towards the Great Hall. She unbuttoned her coat and removed it as she reached the entrance to the hall.

When she finally entered the hall, the voices dimmed and everyone turned to stare at her. Everyone that is, except for Mandy, who continued to eat her bread and some soup. Her eyes focused on the blue eyes of Robb, who examined her again from head to toe. She took a step forward slowly as Bran and Rickon looked at her curiously but returned to their supper when they got bored. Catelyn Stark looked upset when her eyes gazed upon her.

Lyvia looked down to realize she had on a very thin top that had short sleeves and hugged her curvy figure. She immediately threw her coat back on to hide her arms and regain a little modesty from her choice of wardrobe. Sliding into the bench beside Mandy, she grabbed a hunk of bread and tore into it without a word.

Arya and Sansa sat beside them. "Tell us more about the little bird and the hound," Sansa said to Mandy.

"I don't want to hear any more of that rubbish!" Arya said with a frown.

"Then, you don't have to listen," Sansa said to her sister.

Lyvia looked up to see the seating order. Across from her sat a girl with dark hair and brown eyes. She seemed very interested in anything Sansa had to say and listened attentively to her as if she was the whole world to her. Lyvia assumed this was Jeyne Poole, Sansa's best friend. Beside her, to her right, sat Rickon. Lady Stark sat between Rickon and Bran, though she left a space for her husband. Robb sat beside Bran, with Theon Greyjoy on his right. Jon Snow sat at the end, poking at his food with his fork.

She noticed Jory Cassel with his uncle, Ser Rodrik across from Lady Stark.

"The hound is a man who kills to protect the little bird he loves," Mandy said, glancing at Lyvia with her blue eyes. "He's brave and strong. The little bird is a beautiful girl with red hair… and they don't realize how much they were meant for each other." She sighed as if she was going to swoon at her own words.

Lyvia rolled her eyes and chewed on her bread as she heard low chuckles from the men at the table.

Arya nudged Lyvia with her elbow. "What part of Westeros are you from?" she asked curiously and the table became silent again.

"We're not from Westeros," Lyvia said, glancing over to Ser Rodrik, who didn't smile.

"Are you from the Free Cities?"

"Arya," Sansa snapped.

"I suppose you can call it that," Lyvia replied with a kind smile. "I'd rather not discuss it, if it pleases my lady."

She nodded and began to slouch. "Are you planning on staying in Winterfell?"

"We appreciate your family's hospitality, but we don't want to burden you."

Catelyn's eyes gazed across at Ser Rodrik. "It wouldn't be a burden," she said gently.

"Perhaps, we can assist you with some chores or duties, my lady?" Lyvia asked. "I'd feel awful if I didn't help in some way."

"I'm not doing any work. I'm on vacation," Mandy moaned as the girls gave her a giggle.

Lady Stark lowered her eyes to her food and gracefully lifted her fork to her lips. "It's not necessary," she said. "You are our guests."

Ser Rodrik's jaw twitched at her statement. He drank his wine and slammed his cup down before excusing himself from the table.

Jory gave Lyvia a smile and returned to eating his supper.

Lyvia's cheeks blushed and she rushed to lift a cup to her lips before anyone else noticed.

"Why are you blushing?" Arya asked her.

Lyvia nearly choked on her wine. Coughing, she gasped, "I'm not blushing, my lady."

"Yes, you are," Arya pointed.

"Arya! That's rude!" Sansa corrected her but Arya wouldn't take her large grey eyes from Lyvia's face.

She looked passed Lyvia at Jory and grinned. "You like Jory!" her voice wasn't very loud, but Lyvia could swear everyone heard her.

"I told you!" Mandy piped in after Arya's declaration.

Lyvia's face turned beet red. She could feel the warmth as it spread through her cheeks and to her nose before flaring up to her forehead beneath her brown hair. "I believe you're mistaken, my lady," her voice quivered.

Arya grinned at her before leaning back to smile at Jory, who was also turning a shade of pink. "I think he likes you too," she whispered to Lyvia.


	5. Chapter 5

Lyvia left Mandy in the Great Hall with her stories about the hound and the little bird as she entertained the girls with her imagination. She tightened her wool coat around her and buttoned herself up as the chilly winds began to blow through the courtyard. It was dark with only torchlight to guide her towards the guesthouse.

Instead of entering, however, her curiosity led her around the kennels and to the godswood. She half-expected a magical land with its own light that came from a magical place, but the godswood was just as dark as the rest of the castle grounds. The only difference was the reflection of the moon onto surface of the little lake by the weirwood. She released a sigh as she sat by the water, staring into the reflection of the moon as it seemed to float on the surface of the water as a flat white disk.

She's found Mandy and Ethan and Brian. She worried about Kate and where she could be. She also worried about Maureen and Peter, though she was more concerned for Maureen since she was dressed as Daenerys. She must be freezing, she thought.

"Do you pray to the Old Gods?" a male voice asked.

She lowered her eyes and didn't reply. Instead, she kept her eyes on the water, but soon she saw the reflection of the man beside her. She noted his dark hair and eyes and found him handsome, except when he smiled. Her face frowned when she saw his cocky, arrogant grin. "What do you want?"

"Do you know who I am?" he asked.

"Theon Greyjoy," she replied. "I know who you are." She turned her eyes up and looked him in the face. She knew who he was and what he was capable of doing to the Starks. She remembered the story and the television series.

The grin fell from his lips and he looked dumbstruck. "And who are you?" he asked, his voice a grated whine.

"It doesn't matter," she replied. "Now, is there something you wanted?"

He squatted beside her and attempted to stroke her hair with his hand, but she slapped his fingers away before he could touch her. His other hand, however, managed to fist in her hair, holding her head still. His grin returned when he saw the fear in her eyes and the short wispy breaths that escaped her lips.

"Theon!" a low voice cried from behind him.

"What do you want?" Theon asked, irritated from the interruption.

"Release the girl," Robb Stark ordered.

"I take orders from your father, not you. How many times must I remind you?" Theon laughed but his laughter soon subsided when he heard Robb unsheathe his sword. He released his grip on Lyvia and stormed out of the godswood without another word.

"I must apologize for Theon," Robb said. "He's had much to drink at supper."

"I thank you for assistance, my lord," she replied.

"Shall I escort you back to the guesthouse?" he asked.

She shook her head. "There's no need," she said. "I'd like to be alone for a little while longer."

Robb nodded and walked out of the godswood, sheathing his sword back into its scabbard as he disappeared into the darkness.

"There you are!" Mandy cried as she rushed into the godswood and tripped over her own feet beside Lyvia. "I've been looking all over for you. You weren't in the guesthouse… and I just saw Robb who said you were in here!" She looked around with a frown. "I thought it'd be bigger and livelier like Rivendell."

"If you want to go back to the guesthouse, you're more than welcome. You're probably freezing in that dress." Lyvia said.

"I suppose," she said, pushing herself up to her feet. "If I see Jory, do you want me to tell him you're in here?"

"No!" Lyvia snapped at her. "He doesn't need to know where I am."

"I know you like him," Mandy said. "It's all over your face. The mere mention of his name makes you blush." She giggled when Lyvia's face flushed.

"Just go to the guesthouse before you get sick… you don't want to be sick at Throne Con," Lyvia said.

Mandy stuck out her tongue and stomped out of the godswood.

Lyvia turned her back to the entrance of the godswood in hopes that Mandy was the last interruption for the evening. Her thoughts turned to Kate and the other two, who were with her when they arrived. She wondered how she was going to get the two men out of the dungeon. Would Lord Stark allow them to go free since it was a case of mistaken identity? Or would he have to save face and do his "duty" to uphold the king's law? Surely Lord Stark would not take the lives of innocent men. She sighed softly when she heard footsteps behind her.

"I thought I told you to leave me alone!" she raised her voice with each syllable and turned around. Her scowl suddenly turned into embarrassment when she saw Jory Cassel's surprised expression. "Oh… it's you."

"Shall I leave? Your silly friend said you wanted to see me," he replied, freezing in place as if he was just caught red-handed.

She shook her head and stood up. "I'm sorry," she apologized. "I thought you were Mandy."

Jory shook his head. "I'm sorry I'm not… you looked like you really wanted to kill her for disturbing you." He chuckled.

She shrugged. "It's just been a tiring day," she said. "I just came in here for some peace."

"I could let you have your peace," he offered.

Lyvia smiled and nodded. "Thank you." She turned to the weirwood and delicately touched the bark with her fingertips, tracing the carved face with curiosity.

"It's a weirwood," he said before turning to leave.

"I know," she said. "I'd never seen one before." Her mouth opened in awe as she looked up at the red leaves and how the tree looked like a clown with red hair. Even the eyes were red.

"That's the sap," he said. "Here…" He lifted her hand and placed her fingers over the face where the sap pooled around the eyes and hardened like rubies. "That's sap… sometimes, when the sap runs, it looks like the tree is crying red tears." His hand remained over hers as she felt the hardness of the dried sap.

"It's a beautiful tree," she said, looking at him with a smile.

"They say it's almost impossible to lie in the presence of a weirwood," he said, staring at her face. "Where are you from, really, Lyvia Turner?"

"Must we go through this again?" she asked.

"I know you're not from the Free Cities. It's clear that you're not from Westeros. Are you from Sothoros?"

She shook her head. "No!"

"Then, tell me. Tell me the truth," he insisted, grasping her hand tightly.

"I'm from a different world," she said. "It's hard to explain. It's almost impossible to explain because then I'd have to explain everything… and I don't know how I got here. I was hoping Kate would help me understand." She remembered the scream right before she lost control of the car. What did Kate see? "There was something in the road before we crashed into the tree… I think that's the key." She shrugged and turned from him, but he wouldn't release her.

He stared down at her hand and tightened his hand around her fingers.

"Jory… I've told you what I know," she said, tugging on her hand for him to loosen his grip.

"There's more," he said. "I can tell."

She sighed. "If I show you something… you must promise me that you will not tell Lord Stark. No one must know."

He stared at her face for a moment, gauging the seriousness of the situation. He hesitated, taking a step back from her and letting her hand drop from his palm. A gloved hand ran through his hair and he began to pace as Lyvia sat down by the water and dug into her purse. Her hand remained in her bag until Jory swore to keep his promise.

"On my honor," he said, crouching down beside her.

"Pinky swear?" She smirked at his confused expression and the crinkle between his eyebrows that deepened when he didn't understand or when he was frustrated. "Lift up your hand," she instructed, showing him with her own right hand.

He peeled his glove from his right hand with his teeth and held it up. He shadowed her movements, bending all of his fingers except for his pinky finger, which stuck out crookedly. His mouth twisted into a frown when she hooked her pinky with his.

"Do you swear not to tell anyone what I am about to show you?"

"I do," he said with a smirk.

"And if you break this oath, your finger gets cut off," she warned him.

His smirk suddenly changed into a frown as she released his little finger and put her hand back into her bag. "Do you really do that where you come from?" he asked her.

She looked up at him with a big grin. "Not really," she said. "It's mostly figuratively speaking. If a friend breaks a pinky swear, the friendship is over. There's nothing more sacred than a pinky swear." Her face remained serious as she said those words to him.

"Honor is something we hold in very high esteem in Winterfell," he said.

"I know," she replied as she found her small digital camera. She pulled the small silver box out of her bag and held it in her hands before him.

"What is that thing?" he stared curiously at the small box in her hand.

"It's a camera. I can capture an image and look at it later," she frowned. "I guess that's the best way to explain it." She turned it on and stared into the LCD display until it displayed her last picture. A smile curled onto her lips when she saw the group, dressed in their costumes, standing in front of a green hill. She showed it to Jory, who scooted away from her hands slowly. "It won't hurt you," she said.

Jory's eyes were wide and curious, but his lips were pressed together in a line across his face. He reached out to touch the box in her hands, but he withdrew his hand when his fingertips touched the screen and the picture changed. "What kind of sorcery is this?" he said.

"It's not sorcery," she said. "That's Mandy. This is Kate, Peter, Maureen, Ethan, and Brian."

"How did you manage to make them so small?"

"I… it's just a picture…" She thought for a moment and then with a smirk, she switched the camera to photo mode, which forced the box to make whirring noises when the lens appeared.

Jory scooted further away from her.

"Come here," she said, patting the spot beside her. "I want to show you…"

He hesitated.

"Do you trust me?" she asked him.

With a deep breath, he returned to her side, but eyed the little box warily. Squatting beside her, he watched her cautiously; ready to bolt away from her at a moment's notice.

She leaned against him and pointed the camera at them. "Don't be alarmed when there's a flash of light. That's normal because it's dark," she said. She glanced up at his lined face and frowned. "Could you smile a little?"

Jory forced a smile on his lips, which made her laugh.

"You look like you want to kill me," she said jokingly. She prodded him in the ribs with her elbow. "Just smile." She pointed the camera at them, holding it as far away from their faces as her arm could reach. Her finger pressed the shutter button and a bright light suddenly flashed. Lowering the camera to her lap, she turned it over to look at their picture. Glancing over her shoulder, she shook her head at Jory, who was hiding behind the weirwood.

"I'm seeing spots," he complained, rubbing his eyes with his fingers.

"I'm sorry," she replied. "It's the flash." She groaned when she saw their photo.

"What is it?" he asked.

Her face was washed out from the flash and her hair was a mess. She looked as though she was in a fight and lost. "Why didn't anyone tell me my hair looked like that?" she moaned as she tried to flatten her hair around her face. Her lips twisted when she saw Jory's frightened expression in the photo.

His eyes were as wide as saucers, almost as if he had seen a ghost. His lips were parted, revealing his lower teeth.

"You said you trusted me," she said to him as he leaned on the tree with his arms crossed.

"I never said any such thing," he replied.

"Are you going to stand over there all night?" She looked back down at the picture. "You need to look natural." She smirked and quickly turned with her camera in her hands. A fast snap of her finger and another bright light flashed in his eyes, blinding him for a second. Her smile turned into a very satisfied grin when she looked down at the photo of Jory. "That's much better," she said.

He stumbled towards her and sat down, pressing his fingers against his eyelids. "The flash is not a very pleasant experience," he complained. He leaned against her shoulder and stared at the camera in her hands as she flipped through the pictures. "She could be a Targaryan," he said, pointing at Maureen. He kept his fingers away from the screen, but he leaned closer with interest.

"That's Maureen," she said. "She's wearing a wig, I think." She continued to flip through the photos, which included pictures of London Heathrow airport and the planes, her cab ride to her hotel, her bed and bathroom, and even her breakfast. She blushed when she flipped through those photos. As she continued to flip back through time and her memories, she came across pictures of her blue house and her cat. And, the last photo was that of her with an older man, and they looked happy.

She lowered her eyes and the camera to her lap silently. "That's it…" she said.

"You looked happy in that last one," he commented, lifting her hand and the camera so he could look at it again. "Who is this fellow?"

"He was my husband," she said in a low voice.


	6. Chapter 6

The next morning, Lyvia opened her eyes and turned over on her feathery mattress. It was thinner and stiffer than her pillow top mattress at home, with wooden slats that supported her back a little too well. She stretched her arms up over her head and heard her back crack. Looking out at the frosty windows, she wondered what time it was.

She rolled back over and pulled her blankets over her head. Her head burrowed into the pillow and she closed her eyes. As she was drifting back to sleep, she heard a knock on her door. "Go away!" she groaned. But the person on the other side of the door persisted and knocked again. "Go A Way!" She sighed deeply.

_I really don't want to see anyone right now,_ she thought. _What was I thinking last night? I shouldn't have revealed anything to him. What was I thinking?_ She moaned to herself and curled up tightly into a ball as the door slowly creaked open. "Who's there?" she asked, popping up with the blankets still over her head. She heard footsteps and a pause before the sounds continued, closer to her. Her arms were folded across her chest when the blanket was pulled down and away from her head. Her eyes squinted and blinked when she was finally freed.

"Why are you hiding?" Jory asked with wide, curious eyes.

"You shouldn't be in here!" she replied, pulling the blankets over her. It didn't matter that she was still fully dressed in her top and her jeans. The point was that he shouldn't be in her bedroom, especially when she was alone.

"I just wanted to leave you a change of clothes," he said. "Lady Stark and the Septa managed to gather some garments for you to wear while you stay in Winterfell." He lowered his eyes and turned.

"That's very kind of Lady Stark and Septa Mordane," she said as her cheeks blushed lightly. "Jory?"

He stopped at the door and didn't turn to face her. Instead, he cocked his head to listen to her voice.

"About last night," she started. "I'm sorry I talked so much. I must have bored you."

"Not at all," he replied and closed the door.

She sat and stared at the door for a moment with a frown. With a sigh, she pulled back the blankets and slipped out of bed. Her feet touched the cold floor and nearly jumped back into bed from the shock. Even her socks didn't protect her toes from the chill once she was out of bed. She hopped out of bed and padded across the floor to the chair by the door.

Her eyes found a single blue rose atop a neatly folded pile of clothes. With a smile, she picked up the flower and inhaled its sweet scent. She'd never seen a blue rose before, though she remembered that it was Lyanna Stark's favorite flower. Sitting back on the bed with her rose, she stared down at the dark blue petals and how the color swirled and lightened as it reached the tips. Placing it on her pillow, she returned to the clothes and drew in a deep breath.

She pulled on her dress as quickly as possible but refused to wear anything but her own boots. Opening the door, she almost tripped on her own skirt and had to train her hands to lift her hem a few inches off the ground to prevent an accident. She turned back and grabbed her purse, looking around the room for a place to hide it. Her eyes fell to a chest at the foot of her bed and she immediately lifted the lid and buried her bag within the spare blankets within the chest. With a deep breath, she closed the lid and rushed into the common room of the guesthouse. She ran her fingers through her hair and tied it up as neatly as she could without a mirror handy.

"Mandy?" she called, but there was no answer.

She pulled on a thick woolen black cloak with a thin fur collar over her shoulders. Walking out into the courtyard, she noticed many of the household servants stop and stare at her. For a second, she thought that perhaps she had put her dress on backwards or perhaps there was something amiss. Her eyes lowered when the older men and women gave her a kind smile, but looked saddened by her presence.

Her feet carried her to the Common Hall, passing soldiers and guards who stared after her. One of them opened the door for her with a bow. "Thank you," she said softly as she entered. At the far end of the hall, the Starks sat quietly. The smell of bacon and eggs as well as freshly baked bread slammed into her face as she slowly walked towards the dining table.

"Lyvvie!" Mandy called.

"Good morning," she said to everyone as she took her seat beside Mandy. She lowered her eyes and avoided the stares of Lord and Lady Stark as well as the eyes of Ser Rodrik and his nephew.

"You look like Lyanna!" Arya was the first to speak with a grin.

Lyvia lifted her eyes to the little girl and furrowed her brows. "Lyanna?"

"My aunt. Father's younger sister," she continued.

"You must be mistaken," Lyvia said.

"No! Tell her father! Tell her she looks like Lyanna!" Arya cried.

"Shut up," Sansa said with gritted teeth. Her blue eyes stared at Lyvia carefully.

"I'm going to bite you!" Arya threatened her older sister. "I don't tell you to shut up about your stupid songs about knights and princes! Why should I shut up about this?" She gripped her fork as if it was a dagger and pointed towards Sansa in a subtle way.

"That's enough," Lyvia said to Arya. "That's no way to speak to your sister." Her eyes widened as she caught the cold stare of Lord Stark and the confused expression of Lady Stark. "I beg your pardon, my lord. I know it's not my place to discipline your children." She turned to Arya and said, "My apologies, my little lady," she said. "I just don't want to see you fight with your sister. You're family. You should love each other and appreciate each other's differences."

Arya frowned and dropped her fork onto the table before crossing her arms and slouching.

"She does have a resemblance," Robb commented from across the table.

"I told you!" Arya declared with a smile.

Mandy stared at Lyvia as if she was unicorn and leprechaun rolled into one. "She doesn't look like Lyanna," she said. "Lyanna had a long face and grey eyes with dark hair." She thought for a second. "That's right… from what I remember…" She pressed her lips together after she spouted her last words and lowered her eyes. Her hand shoveled eggs into her mouth before anyone could interrupt her.

Lyvia glared at Mandy and shook her head.

"The younger sister?" Theon Greyjoy spat with a laugh. "I don't think _she_ could pass for a Stark, even a dead one."

"Have respect for the dead, boy," Ser Rodrik said without a smile. He turned his head back towards Lyvia and narrowed his eyes.

"Perhaps, this was a bad idea," Lyvia said as she rose.

"Don't be silly," Lady Stark said kindly. "Please, sit and have something to eat."

Lyvia sat back down and lowered her head. She felt uncomfortable as they stared at her, particularly Lord Stark, who remained silent and cold. Taking a piece of bread, she tore into it and started chewing to create some sort of noise around her.

"I think the dress suits you," Lady Stark complimented Lyvia. "Blue is a very nice color." She glanced over to Sansa, who agreed kindly.

"I think you might look nicely in a pink," Arya commented as she chewed her meat.

"Arya!" Sansa nudged her with her elbow.

"Stop it!" Arya shouted. She jumped up and ran out of the Common Hall without another word.

"Arya!" Lady Stark called after her. She rose from her seat but Lord Stark stopped her.

"Let her be," he said. "She'll be fine."

"But…"

"I know that type. Lyanna was very much the same," he said without looking at Lyvia. "She'll be fine. She just needs to calm down."

Lyvia rose from her seat. "Excuse me, my lord. My lady." She turned and walked out of the Common Hall. Once in the courtyard, she glanced around the castle grounds. "Where are you, my little lady?" she said to herself as an idea sparked in her mind. With her head held high, she strode straight through the courtyard and into the kennels where she found Arya sitting in a corner with what looked like a large dog.

She looked up at Lyvia with tears running down her cheeks, but she quickly wiped her face with the back of her hands, making her face dirtier than before. "What do you want?" she asked.

"I just wanted to make sure you were well," Lyvia said, sitting beside her.

"You're going to get your dress dirty," she said. "Mother won't like that. Ladies aren't supposed to be dirty or roll around with dogs." Her voice broke off as she turned her head away.

"Is this Nymeria?" Lyvia asked.

Arya stroked her pup gently and scratched her on the head between her ears. "Do you want to pet her?"

Lyvia stared at the direwolf. Her yellow eyes stared at her, but she didn't seem to be just looking at her. The wolf studied her. Observed her. Her hand hesitated when she tried to reach out to touch the fur.

"You're fine," Arya said, petting Nymeria with reassuring strokes.

Lyvia ran a hand down the length of the direwolf's back from her head to her tail. The fur was soft like silk with patches of grey and dark grey from her head and her shoulders. "Arya," Lyvia said.

"Yes?" She looked at Lyvia as though she was another adult, who was going to lecture her about being a highborn and her responsibilities of being a lady. Her grey eyes widened but began to glaze over when Lyvia spoke.

"When you look at your sister, what do you see?" Lyvia asked.

"Is this a trick?" she twisted her mouth into a frown.

Lyvia shook her head. "What do you see?"

"I see a girl, who likes to sew and sing songs about princes and knights and princesses." She lowered her eyes. "I see my mother."

"And what do you feel when you see her?" Lyvia asked.

"I hate her."

"Why do you hate her?"

"Because she can sew better than me and Septa Mordane likes her better than me. She has Jeyne Poole to whine to and cry with." She sighed. "She can do things better than me all the time!"

"She's older than you, Arya," Lyvia smiled as Nymeria lay between them with her head between her giant white paws. "You're a few years younger. You can't expect to be the same as your sister."

Arya sighed. "I sometimes think they wish I was more like Sansa… a proper lady."

Lyvia placed her arm around Arya's shoulders. "You'll find yourself soon enough. Just do what your heart tells you to do. What do you like to do?"

"I like using the bow and I can fight better than Bran," she said with a smile.

"You can't deny who you are. And pleasing other people can become tiring after a while. If your family loves you, and I'm sure they do, they will accept you no matter what you choose to do." Lyvia gave her a kiss on her forehead. "You're very brave, Arya Stark."

"Why?"

"Because you're being true to yourself. Not many people can do that."

Nymeria lifted her head and let out a soft growl as she turned her head towards the entrance to the kennel.

Lyvia lifted her head and saw Jory poke his head around the corner. With a sigh, she said, "I see you, Jory."

Arya grinned widely at Jory and jumped up. She glanced at Lyvia, who turned pink, and called Nymeria to follow her as she walked away from the kennels.

"How are you?" he asked Lyvia as she rose to her feet.

"Fine," she replied. "But I don't understand what everyone was talking about. I don't look like Lyanna Stark, do I?"

Jory lowered his eyes. He extended his hand and said, "Come." He led her down into the crypts. Walking through the narrow tunnels that wound its way underground, they passed pillars that stood two by two along its length. He led her to a set of three tombs. "That is Rickard and Brandon," he pointed with his torch. The last was that of a woman, carved carefully into the stone. The sadness in her eyes was unmistakable.

"Lyanna," she said. She shook her head. "I look nothing like her."

"You remind them of her," Jory said, stroking her cheek with his hand and catching a tear. "You do have similar features, Lyvia. Dark hair, beautifully sad eyes, and the perfect ivory skin." His voice trailed off.

She took a step back from him and held his hand in hers. "I may look like her, but I'm not her," she said.


	7. Chapter 7

Lyvia followed Jory up a spiral staircase to the main floor of the Great Keep. She was careful to keep the hem of her dress high so she wouldn't trip over it as each step seemed to be taller than the last.

"Ser Rodrik," Jory said in surprise. "Uncle…"

"What were you doing in the crypts?" he asked with a grim expression.

"I was just showing Lyvia the tomb of Lyanna," he replied.

His uncle grunted at him. "Lord Stark would like to see you and the girl when you're done."

"Very well, Uncle," Jory said, leading the way to Lord Stark's office.

Ser Rodrik caught Lyvia's arm before she could follow him. He waited until Jory was out of earshot and said, "You don't belong in this world. The sooner you can find your party and leave, the better. I don't want to see my nephew get hurt." He tightened his grip around her arm for emphasis.

She lifted her eyes up into Ser Rodrik's face and stared into his eyes. "I don't want to see him hurt as well. I assure you, Ser Rodrik, as soon as I can gather my party, we will try to find a way home."

He released her, but he didn't look very satisfied with her answer. "See to it that you hurry."

She nodded and rushed after Jory. At the foot of a set of stairs, she found him waiting for her.

"What did he say to you?" he asked.

"Nothing," she lied to him. "He just wanted me to find my friends."

Jory eyed her carefully and started up the steps until they reached Lord Stark's office. He knocked on the door and opened it. "You wanted to see me, my lord?" he asked as he entered. Lyvia followed him in quietly.

"Close the door," Lord Stark told him. He gave Lyvia a good stare before speaking another word. His grey eyes softened and warmed when he saw her unsure expression. "We have moved the two prisoners to the holdfast out on the hills."

"The holdfast? That's where you keep them before you execute them!" She gave Jory a horrified expression and fought hard to hold back her tears.

"We moved them last night," Jory said to her.

"You knew about this?" she backed away from him.

"It was the only way," Lord Stark said. "Everyone knew we brought deserters from the Night's Watch into the Keep. They needed to be escorted back out and placed where we were expected to keep them. What happens when they are left alone is not my concern..."

She didn't understand. Her eyes merely glazed over as he spoke, but she never strayed from Jory's face. "I trusted you," she said to both of them. She flung open the door and ran down the steps, through the main corridor and out into the courtyard. By then, most of the other Starks were out practicing their fighting when she ran by in tears.

Her first instinct was to get a horse from Hodor and ride out to the holdfast, but she couldn't ride in the dress. She burst into the guesthouse and closed the door behind her. "Mandy?" she called, but still, the girl was not in the house. Her heart raced and she felt the dryness in her mouth as her breath finally caught up with her.

A knock sounded on the door and she turned to pull back the door. Behind the door, Robb Stark stood with a concerned expression. "Do you need assistance?" he asked.

She shook her head. "No, thank you, my lord." She hid her sniffles and lowered her red eyes.

"You looked upset only a moment ago," he said.

"It's nothing, my lord. Thank you for your concern," she replied.

He nodded and turned as she closed the door.

With a deep breath, she changed back into her jeans and top. She wished she had worn longer sleeves, but she never imagined being thrust into Westeros on the way back from Wales on what was supposed to be an innocent day trip in preparation for the convention. She pulled on her wool coat and retrieved her purse. She lengthened the strap and hung it across her shoulder diagonally so her arms were free. Before she stepped out of the guesthouse, she draped the wool cloak over hers shoulders and took a deep breath.

When she reached the stables, she found Hodor cleaning out one of the horse stalls. He looked up at her with a blank expression and said, "Hodor?"

"Could you saddle a horse for me?" she asked politely.

"Hodor!" he said, lumbering away.

Across the yard, in the distance, she saw the boys practicing their archery. She glanced around and didn't see Mandy anywhere. _Probably inside with Septa Mordane and the girls_, she thought. Her lips turned into a smile.

"Hodor!" the giant stable boy said as he brought out a chestnut mare with spots on her flank.

"Thank you," she said as she placed her foot in the stirrup and lifted herself up onto the saddle.

She rode out the hunter's gate, which was closest to the stables, and the easiest way to slip out unnoticed. Riding down the same road Jory had taken her the day before, she managed to find the trail that led out to spot in the hills where she had first met him. But as she closed in on the bloodied stump, she realized she didn't know where Lord Stark had put Ethan and Brian.

She slowed her horse and stopped once she was close enough to see the red stains and black pool where the blood puddle in the dirt. The head and the body were gone, though she still saw birds circling overhead. Her horse snorted and took a wary step backwards at the approaching sound of thundering hooves.

Glancing around, she didn't see anyone around her. She heard the horses, however, as they galloped quickly towards her. She turned her horse around and drove it back towards the woods where the trees would provide some cover. Looking over her shoulder, she saw a group of guards riding towards her.

"Halt!" one of the called.

Lyvia froze when her horse slowed to a canter along the tree line. "Dumb horse!" she cried, urging her to move faster to avoid the men.

"My lady, you should not be riding alone!" one of them said as they approached her.

"I'm fine, thank you," she replied.

"But, my lady, there are dangers in these woods. You should have an escort."

"She does…" a voice said from within the trees.

Lyvia knew that voice and she rolled her eyes at his impeccable timing. Turning her mare around, she saw Jory on his horse as he came through the trees.

"Very well, Captain," said the guard.

As they rode away, she turned to him with a frown. "Do you wait to make an entrance on purpose?"

"I don't understand the question," he replied.

Lyvia shook her head. "It's not important," she said with a smile. "It's just that you have a habit of conveniently appearing when I need you."

"You need me?"

"It's just an expression," she said quickly before he interpreted her words in the wrong way.

He moved his horse closer to her. "You left us before we could fully explain our actions and our plan," he said in a low voice.

"I know. I'm sorry." She took a deep breath and looked at his concerned face.

"You've also changed back into your trousers," his voice sounded a little disappointed.

"It's easier to ride in these," she said, moving her horse away. She stared out at the bloodied stump. "I don't suppose you want to take me to the holdfast where they are kept?"

"I would have escorted you myself, if you had waited for me." He rode ahead at a moderate pace, allowing her to catch up to him quickly and match his gallop as they rode back towards the hills and around them.

"These aren't hills, but more like giant rocks," she commented as they steered their horses among the hills and to a small fortress that used to be made from stone. Only one wall stood, whereas the rest had deteriorated and crumbled from age and the elements. The roof leaned to one side, but it covered a corner where two men sat with blankets around them.

"My God!" she pushed her mare to gallop towards them.

"They're lucky we've given them blankets. Others would not be so fortunate," Jory said as he joined her.

"Why couldn't they stay in the dungeon at the castle?" she asked as she dismounted. Her eyes fell to Ethan, who stared at her coldly. He managed to keep his blanket tightly around him over the already massively furry costume he had worn for the Con. "Can you get up?" she asked him.

He glared at her. "It's all your fault," his voice quivered from the cold.

She approached Brian, whose eyes were closed. Her hand touched his face and she felt the icy chill through her glove. "Brian?" she shook him, but he didn't move. Her fingers dug into his blankets to see if she could feel any warmth from him, but he was frozen. "Brian?" she whispered.

"Are you stupid? He's dead!" Ethan moaned. "You're too late! It's your fault he's dead."

Lyvia sat on her heels and tried to warm his face with her hands. She shook her head as she grasped him by the shoulders and violently shook him, slamming his head against the stone wall until she heard a crack against his skull. Her hands dropped his shoulders and he fell over. Glancing over to Ethan, she said, "I'm sorry, Ethan."

"Just get me back to a warm place," he growled.

Jory dismounted from his horse and pulled out some old clothes from one of his saddle bags. He dropped them onto the ground at Ethan's feet with a look of disdain on his face. "Put those on," he said.

"What are these?" Ethan asked as he stared at the clothes at his feet.

"Your clothes," Jory said as he turned away from him to mount his horse. "Put them on and we can go."

"What about Brian?"

"There's nothing we can do for him now," Jory said sadly, looking into Lyvia's eyes. "I'm sorry."

"That's not good enough!" Ethan staggered to his feet, hissing when his bones creaked and ached from the cold. He glared at Lyvia as he moved slowly and carefully towards her horse.

Lyvia sat by Brian's cold body and sobbed uncontrollably. Her shoulders shook until she felt the warmth of Jory's arms around her.

"We will have him brought to Winterfell if you wish. Would you like me to arrange it?"

"I didn't know him very well," she said as she turned towards Jory. "Ethan would know better." Her eyes were red and puffy as she stared into his kind face. She wiped her eyes with her hands, her face flushing from embarrassment.

Her horse whinnied.

Jory helped her rise to her feet.

"Ethan?" she said as she watched him climb onto her horse. "That's my horse!"

"And? I'm not walking back… I'm not going back there. And I'm not wearing those rags! I spent weeks making this authentic Night's Watch costume. We were going to win the costume contest together!" He shouted at her from atop her horse. "And now he's dead! You stupid cow! You brought us here! It's all your fault!"

"What are we going to do about Brian?" she asked. "Should we have him cremated?"

"I don't know," he replied. "All I know is, I'm getting outta here before anyone else decides to try to kill me or tie me to a wall in the cold!" He gave her a hard stare before galloping away from them and the holdfast.

"Wait!" Lyvia cried, but he was already gone. She stood frozen for a moment as she stared in the direction he disappeared. With a deep sigh, she turned to see Jory by his horse. "He took my horse," she said.

"I'll alert the guards on patrol," he said. "They will find him."

"No," she said. "He's already been accused of being a deserter. And if he's escaped from the holdfast, it'll fall upon you and Lord Stark. He should have been executed according to the laws, yes?"

He nodded.

"I don't want you or Lord Stark to get into any trouble because of us. I'll have to find him and bring some sense into him."

He shook his head. "He's angry and emotional. He's dangerous, Lyvia. I can't let you go alone."

"It'll be better this way," she said.

"I'll take you back and get you another horse, then, if you insist." He braced his hands on her shoulders. "I want you to think carefully about this." His fingers brushed her cheek.

Looking into his eyes, she wanted to kiss him. She also wanted to punch him. But she did neither. Instead, she backed away from him slowly and drew in a deep breath.

"Did I offend you?" he asked.

She shook her head.

"I ask because you always seem to draw away from me. I mean you no disrespect and you know I'll never hurt you," he took a step closer towards her.

"We must hurry if I am to catch up to Ethan," she said, avoiding him. She stopped and stared at his horse. For a split second, her heart stopped and she couldn't breath. There were two of them and only the one horse. She couldn't allow him to walk all the way back to the castle and she knew he wouldn't allow her to walk either. They would have to share the beast.

He moved passed her quickly and jumped onto his horse with ease. Lowering an arm towards her, he gave her a kind smile. "Come on, then," he said, pulling her up behind him. His hands made sure her arms were wrapped tightly around his waist before he moved.

She felt uncomfortable behind him. Her arms snaked under his and around his chest, but soon lowered when she felt his heart racing. Interlocking her fingers together, she held on tightly and pressed her cheek against his back as he turned his horse around and rode back towards the castle. "You can go faster," she said loudly.

"If I do that, then we'd get back sooner than I'd like," he said to her.

"But the longer we wait… the farther he would have ridden," she said.

He sighed. "I won't let you go alone," he said firmly. "Even if I have to follow you from a distance… You won't be alone."

"You're needed in Winterfell, Ser Jory." That was the first time she'd used his title and it sounded funny to her ears. He's always been Jory and will always be Jory, but she wanted to show him how important he was to the castle and to House Stark. He couldn't just go off to find a fugitive with her. _Maybe I should let the guards find him,_ she thought. _But then everyone would know that he had escaped from the holdfast. And Lord Stark's reputation would be in jeopardy. Jory's reputation would be in jeopardy. _ She clung to him tightly as a tear rolled down her cheek.


	8. Chapter 8

By the time they had returned to Winterfell, the light was fading in the sky.

"You did this on purpose!" she poked him in the ribs with a clenched fist and dismounted from his horse. "We could have been back sooner if you hadn't meandered through the woods."

"I apologize," he said. "But my horse does have a mind of its own sometimes." He patted his horse on the neck and rode to the stables, leaving her in the center of the courtyard with a frown on her face.

She returned to the guesthouse and slammed the door behind her. She grumbled and growled until finally she let out a loud throaty scream that rattled the windows and doors. "Men!" she cried as she stomped around the common room until she reached her bedroom. She slammed her bedroom door, as well.

The blue rose was still on her pillow when she turned towards her bed. Her hands unfastened her black cloak and it pooled at her feet in a puddle of wool. She sat on her bed and lifted the rose to her nose. The sweet fragrance melted away her anger and she let out a deep sigh. She had hoped that they would have returned earlier so she would have some time to go searching for Ethan. Instead, she would have to delay her trip until the morning when there was more light.

She pulled off the strap of her purse from around her shoulder and dug into the bag for her camera. Staring at the blue rose on her pillow, she knew it wouldn't last much longer and she wanted to capture its beauty. She aimed her camera carefully, focusing on the blue petals, and pressed the shutter, emitting a flash of light.

"Lyvvie?" Mandy knocked on her door.

Lyvia shoved her camera under her pillow and opened her bedroom door. "What is it?"

"I heard you stomping around," she said. "Are you okay?"

She nodded at Mandy, who was dressed in a light blue dress that was a little tight around her bosom and sides. "What's that you have on there?"

"Do you like it? Catelyn found it for me. I think it's one of Sansa's. Though you'd think they'd have a costume department that is stocked with various sizes."

"Costume department?"

"Well, if this is Winterfell, like the Harry Potter theme park… they should have a costume department for different actors, right?" she said, taking in a shallow breath, her hand holding in her stomach.

Lyvia shook her head. "I'm going to change for supper," she said, closing the door. She pulled on the blue dress as she did before and donned the black cloak over her shoulders. Walking out, she found Mandy sitting in the common room, waiting for her.

"Do you want me to fix your hair?" she asked with wide blue eyes. "Sansa showed me how to do one of her hairstyles!" She stood and spun around to show off her new hairstyle. Her hair was tied back in braids on the top of her hair and the rest were curled and tied with strips of blue ribbons. "I can do something with your hair."

Lyvia sighed.

"Maybe something with that flower in your room," she suggested.

"You've been in my room?" Lyvia asked.

"Only because that Theon Greyjoy was snooping around. When I caught him, he ran out and said he was just looking for some old blankets for the laundry." She rolled her eyes. "He's not a very good liar. You'd think he could act better."

"Listen to me," Lyvia grabbed her by the upper arms. "We are not in some theme park. All this is real… and we have to find our friends to get home."

"I like it here," she pouted. "It's more than I'd expected it to be. Why are you ruining my weekend?"

Lyvia sighed. "Let's just go get supper," she said with a shake of her head.

This time, when she walked out into the courtyard, she was surrounded by the odd stares from the servants. She walked with Mandy to the Great Hall and entered, following the younger Stark boys to the dining table. The older boys were already seated at the table, as were the Stark girls. Lord and Lady Stark came in a few moments later, followed by a grim Ser Rodrik and Jory Cassel.

Lord Stark didn't take his seat. Instead, he motioned for Lyvia to come to him.

"My lord?" she said as she joined him at the other end of the hall.

"I understand you had a problem with your friends," he said. "I am truly sorry for your loss."

"Thank you, my lord," she said. "I wanted to ride after him, but…"

"Yes, Jory told me what happened. I'll send some guards to patrol the area. There aren't many places to hide unless he decides to go north and beyond the Wall to live with the wildlings. But if he's unfamiliar with the territory, which I assume he is, he won't have gotten far."

She nodded. "I'm sorry, my lord, I didn't want this to happen. I worry about this becoming a problem for you."

He smiled kindly at her and his grey eyes warmed. "I am aware of what may happen if he is not found," he said. "But I will deal with the consequences when they arise."

She nodded. "Thank you, my lord."

He nodded and walked to the dining table to join his wife as Lyvia followed behind him.

As she sat down, she caught Jory's glance out of the corner of her eye. Joining Arya, she caught the edge of Mandy's conversation with Sansa. More talk of the hound and the little bird. Arya rolled her eyes as she chewed on her bread, while Sansa and Jeyne Poole couldn't keep still on the wooden bench.

"Did you hear? The King and Queen are coming from King's Landing," Arya said to Lyvia in a vain attempt to drown out the giggles of her sister and Jeyne.

"Are they?" she glanced over to Lord and Lady Stark, who looked a little grim from the news. "How exciting!"

"I hear they're coming with a whole caravan, including their children, and loads of guards and soldiers, and servants," she started playing with her meat and vegetables.

"I suppose Lord and Lady Stark will be extremely busy from now until the royal family leaves," Lyvia smiled at Arya.

"Have you ever seen them?" she asked.

Lyvia shook her head.

"I have!" Mandy said with a wide grin. "In pictures, that is…" She lowered her eyes when Lyvia glared at her.

"If you need any assistance, my lady," Lyvia said to Lady Stark. "Please, allow me to help you."

Catelyn Stark gave her a kind smile. "Thank you, but I'm sure we will be fine. However, we may have to move you from the guesthouse in order to allow the royal family to stay there. Would you mind if we moved you into the Great Keep? The rooms will be smaller, but…"

Lyvia shook her head as a servant boy passed her a slip of paper. "Not at all, my lady."

"We will move you before they arrive. It's still quite a while before we expect them. The travel from King's Landing alone may take a month at the least especially when you are travelling with a full caravan."

Lyvia unfolded the paper on her lap and read the words: "_Meet me in the godswood when everyone is sleeping." _She glanced up at Arya, who was trying to read the note on her lap. "It's nothing, Arya," she told her, folding the paper up and tucking it into a pocket.

Arya gave her a grin as if she knew who sent the note.

"Do you know who sent this?" she asked Arya, who shook her head innocently. She narrowed her eyes at her, but gave her a smile anyway. Somehow, she already knew who sent the note, but she worried that it would encourage some unwanted behavior. She tore into her bread and spread some butter upon it before chewing it loudly to dim the jabber from Mandy.

After supper, she returned to the guesthouse with Mandy and sat in the common room until Mandy decided to go to sleep because she was bored of reading boring books that didn't tell her anything interesting. "I miss having a shower," she whined as she walked into her room and closed the door.

Lyvia sat in the common room until she heard Mandy's earsplitting snores through the door. Once she was satisfied that Mandy was asleep, she slipped out into the courtyard with her cloak over her shoulders and the hood up on her head. She padded her wait into the godswood and stood by the weirwood with her back to the entrance. Her eyes stared into the waters of the lake, noting the reflection of the moon and stars on the glassy surface.

"You came," a male voice said. "I was afraid you wouldn't come."

She turned around with a smirk but her expression soon changed into a frown when her eyes met the blue eyes of Robb Stark.

"I appear to have disappointed you," he said, noting her frown with one of his own. "I apologize if you expected someone else."

"You sent the note?" she asked.

He nodded.

"Why did you want me to meet you here?" she asked.

"I wanted to be alone with you… and… I wanted to speak with you," he said.

She watched him stare at her with wide eyes as if he was hiding something. "What do you want?"

"I wanted to know… do you have a suitor?"

"What? What kind of question is that?" she asked, crossing her arms. "What business is it of yours?"

Robb shrugged. "It's just a question," his voice quivered as his eyes darted around nervously. "Do you…?"

"It's none of your business," she told him with narrowed eyes.

"Fair enough," he said, looking down on the ground.

"Is that all that you wanted?" she asked.

"Do you like him?"

Lyvia took a step towards him. "Who?"

Robb cleared his throat and shrugged. "I… he's like a brother to me… he's practically my uncle," he said. "I've known him nearly all my life… and I … he deserves to be happy. I want him to be happy."

Lyvia shook her head. "What is this?" she turned around and stood by the weirwood with her back to him.

"I don't mean to offend you," Robb said. "He's a good man."

"I know he's a good…" Her eyes caught a shadow behind the weirwood. "What the…?" She tiptoed around the white trunk and caught a man in a black cloak, hiding unsuccessfully. She smacked him on the back of the head and pulled him out into the open by his ear. "Jory Cassel!" she cried.

Robb stifled his laughter and shrugged when Jory gave him a look. "I tried," he said as he walked away from them.

"What are you doing?" she asked Jory once Robb was out of the godswood.

"I needed to see you," he replied. "And I know you would have hesitated if you knew I sent the note."

"I knew you sent the note," she told him. "And I still came… maybe I shouldn't have."

Jory reached out for her hand. "Why did you come?"

She flinched away from him and took a short step backwards. "I… I wanted to see you as well," she admitted. "But, Jory, this isn't a good idea."

He studied her carefully before moving towards her. "Is it your husband?"

She shook her head and raised her eyes to the heavens. "It's me," she replied. "It's not him…"

"Why do you say that?"

"Because it's true… if it wasn't my fault, then he'd still be with me and not with his new younger girlfriend," she sighed.

"You deserve to be happy," he said to her. "You need a man who will protect you and love you with all his strength and will."

She chuckled softly and stared into his brown eyes. "And I suppose you know of such a man?"

He gave her a smile and took a step towards her. "I might…"

She shook her head as his hands found hers. "Jory…"

"Just… don't say anything. Think about what I've said," he pressed his lips to her hands.

Her cheeks flushed and she felt her whole face turn red. "Jory…" she withdrew her hands from his palms. "I need to get back." Her feet felt numb when she tried to pass him, but she managed to get a few feet from him before she turned back towards him with a smile. "Good night," she said.

"Sweet dreams, Lyvia," he said as he watched her leave the godswood.

When she reached the courtyard, she found some of the guards peering into the window of the guesthouse with strange grins on their faces. She also found Robb poking his nose against the window with a curiously wide grin. "What's going on here?" she asked with her hands on her hips.

Her voice cut through the silence but she heard a muffled sound coming from the common room. She shooed away the guards and Robb before looking into the see what held their attention. "Oh, damnit!" she cried as she burst into the guesthouse to find Mandy dancing around in her underwear with her cell phone on full blast, playing _Gangnam Style_. "Mandy!" she screamed as she slammed the door shut.

Mandy pretended to gallop and spin an invisible lasso until Lyvia turned off the cell phone.

"Hey!" she moaned. "I was practicing!"

"Where did you find this?" Lyvia said, holding up her cell phone.

"In your room," Mandy confessed. "I'm sorry. I was looking for you but you weren't here. And I went into your room to see you, but you weren't in there either."

"So you went through my purse?"

"I got bored," Mandy said innocently. "Where were you?"

"I was in the godswood…" Lyvia replied. "Go to bed."

"I'm not tired," she said.

"Mandy, we have to find Ethan tomorrow. And you're coming with me." Lyvia said in a firm voice.

"I hate horses," she whined.

"That's too bad. We're going together. I can't have any more incidents like this. It'll raise too many questions."

"You're starting to get boring," she said. "Kate was right. You need a man to loosen up."


	9. Chapter 9

The next morning, she sat at the dining table with some meat on her plate and a cup of iced milk in her hand. She ate silently as the boys entered the hall in a loud roar, followed by the girls. Mandy trailed in later with her hair in disarray and a frown on her face.

"Did you sleep well?" Robb asked Mandy with a sly grin.

"I don't want to talk about it," she replied as she stabbed her fork into a slice of meat and grabbed a heel of bread.

Lyvia noted the absence of Ser Rodrik, Jory, and Lord and Lady Stark as the rest of the family sat and silently ate their breakfast. "How far is the nearest village from here?" Lyvia asked.

"Wintertown is just outside," Bran said, playing with his food.

"It depends which way you intend to travel," Robb said.

Lyvia glanced at Mandy, who barely touched her food. "We should head out," she murmured.

"I don't want to ride a horse," she whined.

"She could come with us," Sansa said. "We have our needlework with the Septa. I'm sure she won't mind."

Lyvia sighed. "Stay out of trouble, do you hear?"

Mandy nodded with a smile.

"Thank you, my lady," Lyvia said as she stood and walked out of the Great Hall.

"Lyvia," Lady Stark called to her from the entrance to the Great Keep.

Lyvia turned to join her. "My lady?" she said with a little curtsey.

"We must move you into the Keep today," she said. "If you would like, I could have one of the servants gather your things to bring them to your chambers."

"That won't be necessary, my lady. I am capable of managing it."

"Shall I show you? Where is your strange little friend?" she asked with a kind smile.

"She will be joining Sansa and Jeyne to do some needlework, I understand," Lyvia said.

"Come," she led Lyvia up a set of stairs and down a cold hallway. She stopped at a door that didn't look like it had been used in quite a while, and pushed it open with a good shove. The door creaked loudly as a burst of cold, stale air escaped the room. "I'll have some candles brought up," she said as she entered.

The room was small with a single bed pushed up against a wall and a small table and chair by the window. The blankets on the bed were thin and dusty, but Lyvia just smiled with courtesy.

"I know it's not the same as the guesthouse," Lady Stark apologized. "But I hope it will do."

"This is fine, Lady Stark. Thank you."

"I understand Jory was looking for you," she said suddenly. "Did he find you?"

She shook her head.

"Well, I'm sure he'll find you soon enough. He's very good at finding things he wants." Lady Stark gave her a knowing smile and left her alone in the room.

She walked to the window and stared down into the courtyard where the boys were played with their direwolf pups. When she turned back around, she jumped back against the wall. "What… can't you stomp around or something?" she asked Jory, who stood in the doorway. She held her hand against her heart as it raced from the sudden fright.

"Mandy's room is down the hall, in case you're wondering," he said.

"Thank you," she replied, moving to the bed to test its strength. The mattress was hard and thin as it sagged in the middle. She frowned when she sunk in the center of her bed and couldn't manage to get out without Jory's assistance.

"Will I have to come help you each morning?" he joked. "Perhaps, I should stay the night to save myself the trip."

Her eyes widened.

"It's just a jest, my lady," he said with a smile as he held onto her hand.

"Is there something you wanted? Lady Stark said you were looking for me?"

He nodded. "Lord Stark asked me to escort you on your journey to find your friend," he said. "He said to ensure your safety, especially in the woods."

"Do you think he went into the wolfswood?" she asked.

He thought for a moment and squeezed her hand. "He may have… but we won't know until we explore ourselves. I will have a small unit of men with me to be on the safe side."

"Is that necessary?" she asked him as she pulled her hand away from his grip. "Won't they slow us down?"

He shook his head. "My men know how to ride. And we're not pulling carts or wagons," he replied. "They'll be fine."

"I suppose you won't let me go alone, even if I insist?" she asked him.

"If you would like to go alone, you may, but I won't be far behind and neither will my men."

"Do you even know what _alone_ means?" she crossed her arms.

He nodded. "But as I have already told you, I am not going to let you search alone."

"I need to move my things before I leave," she said, passing him.

He nodded and followed her like an annoying shadow.

She packed her camera and cell phone into her purse and folded her dress up before she changed into her trousers and coat while Jory waited in the common room for her. Through the door, however, she could hear him walking around, pause, and then continue as he paced the room. When she pulled the door open, he stood just outside the doorway.

He immediately unburdened her of the clothes in her arms and carried them to the front door.

"Oh! My rose!" she cried as she ran back to her bed and picked it up from the pillow.

"Did you sleep with that?" he asked.

She shook her head innocently. "No… that would be absurd," she said, lowering her eyes. The truth is she may have accidentally fallen asleep with the flower in her hand. But she never deliberately slept with it. When she lifted her eyes, she saw a smirk appear on his lips.

When she finally moved her belongings to the Keep, she met Ser Rodrik in the hallway. "I thought you'd be on your way already," he said sternly.

"I beg your pardon, Ser Rodrik. I just had to move my belongings to my new chambers," she replied.

"Have you seen my nephew?" he asked.

"I am here, Uncle," Jory said, appearing in the doorway to her quarters.

Ser Rodrik's nose flared and his eyes narrowed. "Might I have a word?" he said to Jory. He eyed Lyvia, who backed away and disappeared into her room. She pushed the door closed, but left a crack open to hear their conversation. Ser Rodrik was not a man of few words and his voice carried heavily down the hall.

"Yes, Uncle?" Jory said in a low voice.

"Lord Stark would like you to keep the lady occupied until after midday," he said.

"Did you find him?" Jory asked in a whisper. He paused and said, "I will take her out to the Wolfswood."

"Good," his uncle replied. "But make sure you keep your head on straight... the girl is an outsider. She doesn't belong in Winterfell and she doesn't belong with you."

"I think you're misjudging her," he said in response.

"And I think you're letting your emotions lead you," he grumbled. "If your father were alive today..."

"This has nothing to do with him," Jory said.

"We could have found you a lovely highborn girl," he said. "Someone who knows the social rules and how to behave."

"Is that all, uncle?" Jory asked stiffly.

"Yes," Ser Rodrik said. "But this discussion is far from over."

Lyvia stepped back from the door when Jory approached. His footsteps weren't as light as normal and when he pushed the door open, his face looked saddened. "Is something wrong?" she asked.

"How much did you hear?" he asked as though he knew she was eavesdropping.

"I didn't hear anything," she lied.

Jory chuckled softly and tried to smile. "We both know that's not true," he said. He sighed softly and turned. "If we're to head out after your friend, we should get started."

Lyvia nodded and followed him down to the stables where they mounted and rode out with four other guardsmen. She kept pace with Jory, following him through the trees and down the narrow paths that wove through the woods like a beautiful tapestry. "What exactly are we looking for?" she asked as she trailed behind him.

He stopped and dismounted, tying his horse to a nearby tree stump. He motioned for Lyvia to follow him, while the others remained mounted, guarding the area and waiting for further orders.

Lyvia hesitantly followed him into the woods, where the trees kept the sun from penetrating the forest floor. "What is it?" she asked as he led her deeper into the woods silently. After a moment, she stopped and refused to follow him until he replied.

"We're hunting your friend," he said.

She shook her head. "They've found him, haven't they?" she blurted.

He stopped and turned to face her. "I'm sorry, Lyvia."

"Why did you bring me here if he's been found?" Then, it dawned on her. He was keeping her busy so Lord Stark could perform his duty as Warden of the North. She shook her head and put her hands to her mouth. "He can't!" she cried. "He's not a deserter!"

Jory grasped her by the arms. "Listen to me," his voice lowered. "He was found in a town near here... but he's being accused of murdering a girl in the inn."

"That's impossible! He wouldn't do such a thing!"

"How well do you know him?" he asked her.

Lyvia really didn't know hiim that well at all. She had only met him and Brian when they checked in together at the hotel and met with some others who were also early for the convention. She assumed he was fine because he didn't look psychotic or mentally unstable. She bit her lip and shook her head. "I really didn't know him at all, I suppose," she said in a quiet voice. "Maybe it's all a misunderstanding? It's a huge mistake?"

"He was caught with the knife in his hand and her blood on his clothes," Jory said with a shake of his head. "I'm sorry, Lyvia, but he will be seen as a deserter and a murderer. Lord Stark has no choice but to dispatch the king's justice." He tried to console her, pulling her closer to him, but she shrugged off his hands and ran. "Lyvia!"

She didn't know which way she ran, but she just wanted to get away from him. As her legs moved her through the woods, she couldn't help but wish she had never set foot in Westeros. She wanted to find her friends and go home, but the longer she stayed, the lonelier she became. Her breath caught in her chest when she glanced back for a second as she ran. He wasn't chasing her. He was nowhere in sight. But her feet kept moving forward until she stumbled down a small embankment and tumbled to the ground. A sheering pain split her ankle and she cried out, gripping her foot to dull the throbbing.

She felt something warm and sticky ease down the side of her face as she gripped her ankle with her hands. Glancing up the steep hillside, she knew she wouldn't be able to get up there alone. _Idiot_, she thought as her eyes squeezed together from the pain. She attempted to stand on her feet, but the second she put any weight on her right foot, she hopped and stumbled backwards until she was back on her butt, gripping her ankle to stop the stinging pain. Distracted by her pain, she didn't notice a pair of yellow eyes staring at her from the darkness of a den across from her. It was only when she heard the first growl that she turned to find the eyes of a grey wolf staring at her with its teeth bared.

"Oh crap!" she said in a low voice. Her eyes locked into the creature's gaze as it emerged from the darkness. She backed away slowly, but she knew she wouldn't be able to outrun it. Glancing around, she looked for something, anything, to defend herself. But before it could make a move, arrows rained down from above, catching it in the leg and torso.

Jory found his way down to her along a gentle incline around some trees. He stooped down to her level and shook his head. "You shouldn't run from me. This is what happens when you do," he scolded.

"I'm not a child!" she said with a pout.

"Can you get up?"

She nodded. "I think so." She rose to her one good foot and gently hobbled when she tried to put her weight on her right foot. Hissing, she hopped for a foot before stopping.

Jory sighed and wrapped her arm around his shoulders and swiftly lifted her up off the ground. "You're such a stubborn woman," he moaned as he hoisted her up into his arms.

"Hey!" she protested when he tossed her gently to adjust her in his arms. She held on tightly to him when he moved up the hill towards his horse. "I can ride," she said in his ear.

He shook his head. "Absolutely not! You're riding with me."

"I can ride," she insisted, but he wouldn't allow it.

He gently put her down and had one of his guards hold her still as he climbed onto his horse. His arm lowered to pull her up behind him with the guard's help. "Hold on," he ordered. He remained still until her arms wound their way around his waist and her hands held on tightly.

When they reached Winterfell, he rode to the Great Keep and dismounted once she was lowered from the horse. "Get Maester Luwin," he said to one of his guards. "Tell him that I have taken the lady up to her room." He lifted her once more into his arms and carried her up to her room, where he placed her onto her bed. His hands unfastened her cloak and began unbuttoning her coat when her hands slapped his finger away.

"I can do it!" she said. "I'm not an invalid!"

"I was merely trying to assist you, my lady," he said in a mocking tone.

"I'm not a lady. Why do you keep calling me that?" she moaned as she removed her coat and unzipped her boots.

His eyes widened at the zipper. "Metal stitching!" His jaw dropped in wonder as he stared at her shoes.

"Put those away before Maester Luwin comes in!" she said as he examined the zipper's teeth carefully. "Jory!"

He shoved them under her bed and examined her bad ankle with care. "It's swollen," he said. "Can you move your toes?"

She nodded. "I think it's just a sprain. Which means I'm not going anywhere..." she sighed.

"What can I bring you to eat? Shall I find you some bread, cheese, meat and wine?" he asked.

She shrugged. "I'm not very hungry at the moment," she said, leaning against the wall.

By the time she was well enough to walk again, Winterfell was racing to prepare for the arrival of King Robert Baratheon. Everything was in order by the time the caravan arrived through the east gate of Winterfell and King Robert dismounted from his horse. Lyvia and Mandy stood in the back of the crowd at the request of Lord Stark.

"This is not an insult but a humble request," he had said to her before the arrival of the King. "If you would be so kind to remain in the back with your friend. I cannot have this day be sullied in any way."

Lyvia nodded and agreed. She knew Mandy would be squealing and the farther back they stood, the easier the task of tackling her to the ground without anyone noticing. After kneeling before the King and waiting for Lord Stark to rise, she couldn't help but be curious about the Usurper. She had seen the actor that played him on television, but she wondered how similar he was with his actor counterpart.

She had to stand on tiptoes and lean on the servant in front of her to get a better glimpse. She almost laughed when she saw a giant of a man with a grand belly that barely fit his clothes. He had a black beard of wiry hair that stuck out awkwardly from his face as he strained a smile and a hearty laugh.

"There's the Hound!" Mandy cried, jumping up and down with excitement. She pointed at a large man in armor with a hound-shaped helm that opened at the jaw. Her squealing was deafening as she bounced continuously. "Where's your camera?" she asked Lyvia.

"Shut up!" Lyvia's admonishment coincided with Sansa's.


	10. Chapter 10

At the King's feast, Lyvia and Mandy sat in the corner nearest to Arya as she played with her food. Mandy stared dreamily at Sandor Clegane, who sat nearest to a blond boy with green eyes. She sighed deeply as she watched the disfigured man down one cup of wine after another. "Isn't he wonderful?" she asked Lyvia in a whisper.

Lyvia shrugged as she watched the King, who seemed disinterested in feasting with his wife, but rather telling boisterous tales amongst his men, while also enjoying the company of other women. She glanced up at the Queen's sad and disappointed face, though she wore a mask to hide her emotions. Shaking her head, her eyes kept watch on the fat man in the crown as he drowned himself in wine and women.

"Would you like to take a walk?" Jory whispered into her ear. He was already holding her black cloak in his arms when she glanced up at his hopeful face.

She stood from the table and whispered into Mandy's ear, "Remember to behave."

Mandy rolled her eyes and nodded.

Jory hung her cloak over her shoulders gently and produced an arm for her to take as he led her through the Great Hall. His face beamed as they walked through the crowd, ignoring the sounds around them until they heard the thunderous roar of the King.

"Lyanna?" He dropped his goblet and stared at her as if he had seen a ghost. His face turned white and the Great Hall became silent as the grave as all eyes fell upon her.

She gripped Jory's arm tightly with her hand as the King stood from his seat and her eyes met his. She felt Jory use his free hand to reassure her with a gentle stroke on her fingers. Her heart raced and she was sure everyone could hear how loudly it was beating. Perhaps it was the King's heavy footsteps that thundered in her ears as he took short strides towards her.

Jory knelt down before the King and pulled her down beside him.

She lowered her head and could only see his shiny black leather boots as they stood before her. She closed her eyes and wished this was just a dream and she would soon wake up from this nightmare. But the Great Hall soon filled with gasps as she heard a groan and felt callused fingers on her chin.

"Lyanna," the King whispered as he lifted her head.

She opened her eyes to see the King kneeling before her. "No, Your Grace," she said in a quiet voice. "I am not."

"No… you are," he insisted. "You are my Lyanna…"

"I'm afraid Your Grace is mistaken… I beg your pardon, Your Grace. I am not who you seek," she shook her head but it only seemed to make him more insistent.

He staggered to his feet, his face red from the strain of stooping with his fat belly. "Get up," he commanded.

Lyvia and Jory rose to their feet.

"You are Ser Jory Cassel, Ned's captain of the guard," the King glared at him with cold eyes. He glanced down at their connection and then back up to his face. "And your relationship with this young woman?"

Jory released her hand and her arm dropped to her side. "We are friends, Your Grace," he said.

Lyvia glanced at Jory, who took a deep breath as he spoke. Her eyes darted around the room as everyone continued to stare and study her. Lady Stark looked horrified, while the Queen's eyes stabbed her through the heart.

"My King," Lord Stark finally interrupted.

"Ned… have you been hiding her all these years?" He pointed at Lyvia drunkenly. "How could you not tell me? And you had me go down into the crypts to pay my respects!"

"This is not Lyanna, Robert," he said in a low voice. "Jory, take her out of here." Lord Stark looked disappointed as he turned back to the King and braced his hands on the King's shoulders. "Listen to me, my friend, she is not Lyanna. Lyanna passed away years ago."

The King shook his head and roared, "Bring her back!"

Jory used his hands to guide her shoulders through the crowd and out into the courtyard. He glanced behind him often as he led her into the godswood to hide until the situation settled.

"I didn't like the way he looked at me," Lyvia said, trembling by the weirwood. "I don't look like her. Why does everyone think I look like her?"

Jory turned her around and tightened the cloak around her neck. "Lord Stark will bring some sense to him. Don't worry, Lyvia. Everything will be fine."

"My sweet protector," she said in a whisper. "You're always there to help me." Her hand found its way to his chest, where it rested against his heart. She stared at her fingers as they trembled against the leather doublet that hugged his lean body.

His hands steadied her palm against his chest, pressing her fingers hard against his heart. "The snow will fall and winter will come, but the fire will never die," he muttered in a low voice.

"You're speaking in riddles," she groaned as she lifted her eyes up to his face.

His lips widened into a smile and he took one step closer to her.

"Jory," she shook her head. She closed her eyes and dropped her head as if she was going to cry. Before she could move, his arms wrapped around her and he drew her into a tight, comforting embrace. "I want to go home," she sobbed.

"You're safe here," he whispered as he pressed his whiskered chin against her forehead. "No one will harm you."

"I'm afraid of him," she said. "The way he looked at me… it wasn't human."

"Who?"

"The King," she replied. "What if he… what if he wants to see me?"

"Lord Stark won't allow anything to happen to you," Jory stroked her hair gently.

"But he's the King. The King gets what he wants…" She suddenly pushed away from him and looked into his face with watery eyes. "You know that. If he wants something, Lord Stark cannot deny him." She shook her head. "What if he wants to see me privately?"

Jory hushed her and held her close to him. "Lord Stark will do what's right. Have faith in him. He's a very honorable man."

She nodded. "I know he is."

He pressed his forehead against hers and sighed deeply. "Lyvia…"

Her eyes found his gaze and she pressed her fingers against his lips. "Don't," she whispered. She fought the urge to just fall into his arms and kiss him, but she knew that this relationship wouldn't last. She already knew what was going to happen to him in King's Landing and she couldn't bear the heartbreak.

His eyes saddened and he drew in a deep breath which he let out as a disappointed sigh.

"Don't do that," she said as his arms tightened around her.

"What am I doing?"

"You're looking at me as though I'd just killed Nymeria," she said.

'"I didn't mean to make you feel that way," he said. "I want you to feel safe."

"He'll find me," she said in a quiet, quivering voice.

"You're safe here." He released her as she backed away from him and stopped against the weirwood. His eyes stared at her as she slid down to her knees and sat by the trunk. "Tell me how I can comfort you… show me," he pleaded. He dropped to his knees beside her and leaned against the white wood. His arms opened wide and he invited her to shelter against him from the cold.

Lyvia couldn't move at first. Her eyes stared at his outstretched arms for what felt like hours, but she soon scooted closer to him and curled up against his chest. "What are we going to do?" she asked.

"There's nothing to do," he replied. "Everything will be fine."

She sat up suddenly and stared into his eyes. "How do you know that?"

"Because I have faith that it will be…" He gave her a kind smile and brushed away strands of brown hair from her face. He leaned towards her, holding her face within the palm of his hand.

"Captain!" one of the guards interrupted him.

Jory sighed and shook his head. "What is it?" he turned his head towards the man, who stood by the entrance with a red face.

"I beg your pardon, Captain," he said. "But there's something you must come and see."

"Duty calls," Lyvia whispered into his ear before giving him a quick peck on his cheek. Her lips widened into a grin when she saw his surprised expression. She stood up and dusted her skirt off as Jory rose to his feet.

"I'll be along in a moment," he told the guard, who nodded and left the godswood. "I shall escort you to your room first." He turned back to Lyvia and offered her his arm.

"I can find my way," she said. "You should go and find out what's happened."

He stood still and stared at her, his arm jutting out at an awkward angle. He remained silent until she conceded with a roll of her eyes and placed her fingers on his wing. With his free hand, he pressed his palm against the curve of her fingers.

He led her through the courtyard and into the Great Keep. When they reached her chambers, he opened the door for her and poked his head inside just to ensure she would be alone.

"Thank you," she said, entering the little room. When she spun around, he was just inside the doorway, watching her every move. Her hands unfastened her cloak from her shoulders and draped it on a chair by the window. "You should be getting back," she told him.

He nodded. Backing out of the room without turning his back to her, he pulled the door closed as he said, "Sweet dreams."

As the door finally closed, she rushed to it as if she meant to stop him, but was too late. Her hand gripped the handle to the door and for a moment, she thought about turning it and flinging the wooden door back towards her to see if he was still in the hallway. But as her fingers tightened around the iron and her knuckles grew white, she convinced herself that it was a bad idea. She knocked her head into the wood and sighed.

"Did you want to come out?" Jory's voice spoke through the wood.

She pulled the door open and found him leaning on the doorframe with his hand bracing the wall. "I thought you'd left already," she said weakly.

"I was about to when I heard your knocking." His eyes focused on the red patch of skin on her forehead and his brows furrowed. "Were you knocking with your head?" His hand automatically reached out to comfort her.

"It's nothing," she said, dodging his fingers. "You need to go. They're waiting for you."

"I will return when I've finished," he told her.

"I'm fine," she insisted. "I'm going to sleep."

He frowned. "Very well. Good night."

"Good night," she replied and closed the door. She pressed her ear to the wood and listened as Jory walked away finally after standing still for about a minute. Glancing around the dimly lit room, she found a few more candles that were yet to be lit and placed them on the table by the window. Peering down into the darkness, the torchlight faintly lit the courtyard and the Stark guards stood in a group by the guesthouse. Jory strode out from beneath her window and joined them.

She leaned on the window and couldn't help but stare down at the shadows in the courtyard. Her lips let out a deep sigh as her eyes focused on the one that looked like Jory from where she stood. For all she knew, it could have been one of his men, but her intentions were true. Her lips pressed together when they backed away slowly from another group of men, who were carrying torches. She couldn't hear what they were saying but from what she could tell, it looked heated as they all had their hands on the grips of their swords, ready for to draw and attack.

Then a voice echoed from below in a strong, feminine tone, "I am Daenerys Stormborn of the House Targaryen, of the blood of old Valyria. I am the dragon's daughter, and I swear to you that those who would harm you will die screaming. I will take what is mine, with fire and blood."

"Oh shit…" Lyvia spat as she grabbed her cloak and ran out of her room.


	11. Chapter 11

"Wait!" Lyvia screamed breathlessly as she appeared at the entrance to the Great Keep. Her face flushed and sweat beaded along her hair line as she fought to catch her breath, while also fastening her cloak around her neck. "Wait! Stop!"

In the center of the courtyard, the guards had surrounded the young woman in the brown ragged clothing. Her hair was long, wavy and platinum blond with tiny braids that were fastened with tiny annoying bells. She stood with her head high and her back straight as she stared at the guards' faces with confidence.

"No!" Lyvia shouted as a guard drew his sword.

"I thought all the Targaryens were dead," one guard murmured to another as a crowd began to trickle out from the Great Hall.

"Out of my way!" the King roared with Lord Stark in tow. He pushed his way out into the courtyard and stood with his great belly protruding before him. Staring at Lyvia first, however, he almost seemed to forget the reason for the commotion.

Jory grasped Lyvia by the arm and pulled her out of the King's line of sight.

"I thought the Targaryen girl would be younger," he said to Lord Stark. He leaned in closer to his friend and added, "And also better looking than this."

Lord Stark stood silently beside the King.

"Where is your army, daughter of the dragon?" the King asked her.

"I do not need an army," she said calmly as she reached into her satchel. The guards closest to her drew their weapons. "When I have my dragon." She pulled forth a black dragon from her bag, holding it aloft as if it was her only salvation.

"Christ!" Lyvia cried and some people turned their heads towards her, including Robb Stark and Benjen Stark.

"What is it?" the King asked Lord Stark as he stared at the object in her hands. "It looks like a dragon."

"A very fluffy, fat dragon," Lord Stark replied as he studied it and the blond girl.

In Daenerys' hands, she held a stuffed black dragon with its mouth open, showing felt white teeth and a pink felt tongue. Its body was misshapen and a little smaller than its head, forcing it to look awkward and not at all terrifying.

"What is this?" the King asked. "Is this some sick jest?" He turned to Lord Stark. "Is this your idea? Are you trying to make me look the fool?" His voice boiled over in anger and his face turned red, though in the dark, it just looked black. His eyes found Lyvia again. "Bring her to my chambers," he growled.

Lyvia's face drained of color and she looked as pale as Ghost, who stood beside Jon Snow. She shook her head and turned to Jory. "I can't," she said in a low voice. "Jory…"

"Jory," Lord Stark said, waving his hand at him.

Jory's eyes saddened as he tightly gripped her by the arm. He pushed her towards Lord Stark as the King staggered away to the guesthouse. "My lord?" he said to Lord Stark.

Lord Stark looked grim, but he leaned in close to Jory's ear and whispered his orders.

Lyvia tugged on her arm in his vice-like grip. "Jory, you can't!" she cried. As she was led away, her eyes caught the Queen's cold expression as she stood beside Lady Stark and her daughters.

"Jory!" Arya shouted, but Jory ignored her and pulled Lyvia along through the crowd of guards.

Lyvia turned to see Septa Mordane grasp Arya by the arms as she tried to follow them. Her eyes darted to Sansa's horrified expression as she clasped her hands over her mouth and Prince Joffrey attempted to comfort her with a light pat on her shoulder. The Hound watched over the prince from a distance as Mandy swooned behind him and nearly fell atop the lute player, who came outside with a curious face. Robb watched Lyvia get pulled reluctantly towards the other side of the courtyard.

"Lyvvie!" Mandy called from behind the Hound. When she caught Lyvia's attention, however brief it was, she pointed at Sandor Clegane with an idiotic smile plastered to her lips and pretended to swoon.

Jory pulled her into the stables.

"What are you doing?" Lyvia asked once he released her.

"I'm doing what I've been ordered to do," he said.

"You're to take me to him, aren't you?" she asked, holding herself with her hands rubbing her upper arms.

"I said I'd keep you safe," he said to her as he saddled a horse. "Lord Stark will talk sense to him. The King is drunk."

"Where are you going?" she asked as she watched him.

"I'm taking you away from here," he said.

She shook her head. "I'm not going anywhere," she said, rushing back out into the courtyard, where the guards still surrounded Daenerys.

"Lyvia!" Jory called after her.

She didn't turn her head back towards him as she pushed her way through the wall of men. Most didn't budge, but stood firmly like statues. The ones that she managed to push through were obviously young and inexperienced. As she stood among the guards, she watched Lord Stark confront Daenerys.

"What is it that you seek, Daenerys Stormborn?" Lord Stark asked.

"I seek what is rightfully mine. I am the rightful Queen of the Seven Kingdoms!" she said in her lofty voice. "And I have come to reclaim what was wrongfully stolen from me." She lowered her dragon and cradled it in her arms like a baby.

Lord Stark shook his head. "We do not have your throne here," he said.

"Perhaps the girl would like to challenge the King for the throne," the Queen said as the sea of guards parted for her.

"The King is not fit to fight," Lord Stark said to her.

"No," the Queen said. "But a champion can be chosen for him, if this girl so chooses to challenge him for the throne." She stood beside Lord Stark, tall and graceful with her blond hair tied up in elaborate knots and braids that probably took several handmaidens and several hours to fix for her. Her green eyes looked the Targaryen girl over with a courteous smile, but her face had small lines that appeared around her eyes as she worried. "So, this is the little girl that ruffles my King's feathers…" As the words trickled from her pink lips, her eyes darted immediately to Lyvia's face.

Lyvia froze as though the Queen's gaze had some unexplainable power over her. Her heart raced as she stood by the Lannister guards, exposed and vulnerable. She bit her lip and turned her head back to the Targaryen girl and took a step forward. When her foot moved, she saw Lord Stark turn his attention to her with a cold stare. He looked around for Jory, but returned his attention to her as she walked up to Daenerys.

"Maureen," she whispered.

She turned her head to Lyvia with a cold stare. "You!" she hissed. "Where have you been?"

"Take off the wig," she whispered.

"What? No! I'm Daenerys Stormborn," she said.

"Take off the wig, Maureen. I mean it."

She ignored Lyvia with a calm face.

Lord Stark had no words, but Lyvia could tell he was troubled. When he finally managed a question, he asked, "Do you know this woman?" He stared at Lyvia intensely, the lines in his forehead darkening.

Lyvia lowered her head. "May we speak in private, my lord?"

Maureen shoved Lyvia with a growl. "You're ruining my moment," she hissed.

Lyvia's face turned red. She spun to face Maureen and grabbed her into a headlock, desperately yanking her blond hair from her head. "I'm taking that damn thing off your head, you lunatic!" she said.

"Get off me!" Maureen screamed as Lyvia pulled on her hair.

Lyvia pulled and yanked, tearing some of the hair out by the roots. When she found the tufts of hair tangled in between her fingers, she released Maureen from her headlock with a questioning expression. "You dyed your hair, really?"

"I don't like wigs," she said, tossing her hair. Her hands fixed her tresses so that the bald patch on the back of her head was covered.

"She's as wild as that sister of yours," the Queen said to Lord Stark. "No wonder my husband was so captivated by her. He loves wild things, you know. He loves to hunt them… and when he catches them, he becomes bored and moves on to the next one…" She pursed her lips together and walked towards the guesthouse.

Lord Stark bowed as she walked away. When he straightened back up, he whispered to Ser Rodrik, who stood and silently judged the situation. He ordered Robb to escort his sisters to their chambers with Theon Greyjoy. Sansa, of course, was horrified by the unladylike display and was on the verge of tears when Robb took her away. Prince Joffrey followed his mother with the Hound behind him. Mandy started to cry when the Hound walked away without even glancing her way.

"Lyvia," Lord Stark said with a quick movement of his hand.

Lyvia joined him by his guards and Benjen Stark. She lowered her eyes when she finally stood still. "My lord?"

"I thought I told Jory to take you out of here. What are you still doing here?" his voice was low.

Lyvia shook her head. "I couldn't let anything happen to her," she replied.

"Is she another one of your companions?" he asked.

Lyvia nodded. "Yes, my lord."

"For tonight, she may be safer in one of the cells in the dungeon," he said to her, turning to his brother.

Benjen nodded. "There's no great sentiment for a Targaryen, especially in these parts. Even if she's not a real one," he said in agreement. His eyes narrowed at Lyvia for a second and he moved her chin up with the tips of his fingers.

She lifted her eyes to meet his.

"She reminds me of Lyanna," he said with a twist of his lips. "Not identical, but there's something about her… I just can't seem to put my finger on it, but there's some resemblance."

"It's in her eyes," Lord Stark said without looking at Lyvia.

"And your name is Lyvia?" Benjen asked. "Remarkable." His lips widened into a smile.

"Is there anything else, my lord?" she asked Lord Stark.

"Stay with Jory," Lord Stark commanded.

"And Maureen?" she asked, pointing at the blond girl behind her.

"She will be fine… We'll see to her comfort," Lord Stark said. He motioned for his guards to take custody of Maureen when she screamed.

"Take your hands off me! I am a khaleesi! You cannot treat the dragon's daughter this way!" She protested and struggled valiantly, but the guards overpowered her and took hold of her wrists.

"I shall save you, my lady!" a voice cried from the darkness.

Lyvia squeezed her eyes together when she heard the voice. "Shit," she muttered under her breath. Her eyes opened to see Benjen's curious stare and Lord Stark scanning the darkness for the source of the voice. She turned towards Maureen, who also looked confused.

"Who dare interferes with the Lord of Winterfell?" Lord Stark declared.

The first sound was a hollow crash as one of the armored guards fell to his knees. The second was more grated and harsh like the scratching of metal upon metal. From the darkness, the gleam of a sword swished through the air and fell upon the plated arm of another guard, forcing him to release Maureen.

The other guards around them drew their swords.

"No!" Lyvia said, moving forward. She didn't travel far with Benjen's hands upon her shoulders. "Please! Lord Stark, please don't!"

"My name is Jon Snow!" Peter declared as he emerged from the shadows.

Lyvia became lightheaded and she toppled to the ground in a heap. As everything went black, she heard the sounds of screams and swords clashing.


	12. Chapter 12

"I think she's waking up!"

"Shut up, Arya! You need to keep your voice down. She needs her rest."

Lyvia groaned and turned over, covering her head with a poor excuse for a pillow.

"How is she?"

"Arya is annoying her with her noise, Jory."

"You girls can run along and help your mother. Your father is going hunting with the King this morning."

The sounds of footsteps running down the hall trailed away when Lyvia groaned again. Her hand held the pillow in place over her ear as she breathed a sigh of relief from the welcome silence. She began to doze again when she felt a warm hand on her fingers. Flipping the pillow down from her head, she peered up to see Jory's worried face.

"Why aren't you hunting with Lord Stark and the King?" she asked, sitting up in bed.

"He asked that I stay and keep an eye on you," he replied, squatting beside her.

"What happened?" she asked.

His face darkened and he lowered his eyes from her.

"Jory? What happened?" she asked again. This time she imagined the lines darkening on her face as she worried for her friends.

"You fainted..." he said. "Benjen brought you up here during the riot."

"Riot? What riot?" Her face paled and she felt the air escape her lungs in short gasps.

"When the guards attempted to secure Daenerys Targaryen, a man claiming to be Jon Snow appeared and freed her."

"And? Where are they?"

"The man was attacked by the Kingsguard for threatening the safety of Winterfell and the King."

"Where is he?" Lyvia's voice sharpened as she held her head with her hand to keep it from splitting from her headache.

"He was mortally wounded, Lyvia. He's not going to survive the night," his voice was low.

Lyvia kicked off her blankets and stood up on unbalanced legs. Her head spun, but she still managed to find her clothes. "I need to get dressed," she said, holding her dress in her hands.

"I've brought you another one," he said, pointing to a salmon colored dress that was folded and placed on her chair. "Lady Stark thought it would be a nice color for you."

"Where's Mandy?"

"The last I saw, she was following the Hound around," Jory said with a frown.

"And Maureen… Daenerys… where is she?"

"She's in the dungeon for her safety..." Jory said.

Lyvia untied the laces that held her nightgown closed and strategically pulled the strings to loosen the fabric around her neck. Her eyes glanced up to see Jory blush. "Please go," she said. "I need to change."

"I was ordered to keep an eye on you," he crossed his arms.

"You can do that outside," she pushed him towards the door. "I won't tell Lord Stark." Closing the door, she turned and quickly undressed. The salmon colored dress was a little looser and fit more comfortably than the blue one. As she fussed with the last of the laces in the back, she heard a knock and the door creaked open. "Can't you wait until I tell you to come in?" she asked Jory.

"Allow me to help you," he said kindly. He tugged on the laces and tied them securely, though his fingers were not very deft with the knotting.

She giggled when he heard him curse and tug on the laces again. Her hands kept her hair up and out of his way while he struggled with the bow. At one point, she thought she felt his warm breath on the back of her neck, but it only turned out to be his sigh of relief when he finally achieved a semi-decent bow. She turned with a smile and thanked him for the assistance.

She turned and looked out the window. "It looks like a lovely morning," she said half-heartedly. It was still cold outside and the heat in the castle didn't seem to reach this wing very well. She rubbed her arms with her hands to warm herself up as she turned to Jory, who already held her cloak in his hands.

"Your cloak, my lady," he smiled.

"Will you stop calling me that?" she asked him.

"Does it offend you?" he asked as he draped the black wool over her shoulders and smoothed out any wrinkles with long, heavy strokes. He reached around to the front, pressing himself up against her back, to fasten the cloak around her neck.

"I can do that," she said, placing her hands on his. "I'm not a child."

"You are my lady," he whispered in her ear before heading to the doorway.

She stared after him, watching the way he moved and the expression on his face that was always the same except for a few very faint differences that signaled the changes in his moods. He was graceful as he walked away, but his stride was still very manly and authoritative.

"Are you coming?" he asked with a turn of his head.

She nodded silently and followed him out.

In the courtyard, the men were already on their horses, ready to ride out the Hunters' Gate and into the Wolfswood. King Robert was already mounted on his horse as he talked with Lord Stark. Benjen sat alongside Robb and Theon Greyjoy near the stables as Bran stood watching his father and the King. Lyvia followed Jory out from the Great Keep and into the courtyard.

"Is she feeling better?" Lord Stark asked Jory.

Lyvia nodded. "Thank you, my lord."

"The young man from last night is with Maester Luwin," Lord Stark said in a low voice. "The girl is in the dungeon."

The King approached slowly, eyeing Lyvia carefully. With a shake of his head, he said, "She's still the image of Lyanna, Ned. I'm telling you… if she were to come back to me today, I'd say she's already here."

Lyvia glanced at Jory and lowered her eyes.

"She even stands like her… her voice is as haunting as hers was…"

"Come, my King, let's hunt some boar," Lord Stark changed the subject.

The King turned away from her and rode to the gate with the others trailing behind him. "I'll be needing some wine once we get there," he said with a hearty laugh as they disappeared.

Jory grasped her arm gently and tugged her in the direction of the infirmary where Maester Luwin kept the sick and injured. "Come, my lady," Jory said, leading her away from the courtyard.

"Bran?" she said as she caught him kicking a rock around the kennels with his direwolf pup nipping at his heels.

"Yes?" he said with a frown.

"What's wrong, my lord?" she asked, stooping to his level.

"Father wouldn't let me go hunting. He said I was too young." His frown deepened.

"You will have time to hunt when you're older," she said to him. "Have you found a name for your pup, yet?"

He shook his head.

"What are you planning to do today?" she asked, hoping he would admit that he was going to go climbing around the broken tower. But as she looked into his eyes, she knew he was going to fib.

"I was going to take a walk with my pup," he said. "Maybe find Mother and Rickon."

She nodded. "Stay out of trouble," she told him.

He nodded gravely and continued to kick his rock along the courtyard with a frown.

As she stood, she saw Mandy crouched behind a stack of hay. "Mandy?"

She hushed Lyvia quickly and pointed to the other side of the hay, where the Hound sat with Lord Tyrion. She smiled inanely as she straightened herself and her dress. With a stifled grin, she walked around the stack of hay towards Sandor Clegane and Lord Tyrion. "My lord," she said with a curtsey to Lord Tyrion. "Ser Sandor…"

"I'm not a knight," he growled.

"He's just a dog," Lord Tyrion laughed but Sandor Clegane did not look amused as he glared at Mandy.

"I beg your pardon," she said shyly. "I..." She squeaked and ran away from him and hid behind Lyvia.

"What is wrong with you?" Lyvia asked as the two men stared at her and the girl behind her.

Jory took her by the hand and led her away from the courtyard, leaving Mandy exposed.

"Where are you going?" she asked, following them.

"Mandy, perhaps you should join Sansa and Arya…?" Lyvia hinted.

Mandy pouted and began to sob.

Lyvia stopped Jory in his tracks and turned to her. "If you promise to behave, you can come," she said to the girl with red eyes and tear-stained cheeks.

Mandy nodded violently and followed them. "Are you guys going steady?" she asked.

Jory glanced back at her and cocked one eye brow higher than the other. "Steady?"

"Are you dating?"

"Dating?" Jory asked, looking down at Lyvia, who was turning pink, red, and purple all over her face. "I would like to court Lyvia," he said, squeezing her hand. "However, I do not want to pressure her."

"She likes you too, you know," Mandy blurted.

"Mandy!" Lyvia gritted her teeth and growled at her.

"Well, you do." Mandy looked bored. "She likes flowers."

"Mandy, shut up!"

Mandy rolled her eyes. "She's just playing hard to get… she likes you. It's just…" She stopped herself when she saw Lyvia stare daggers at her. "Nevermind."

Jory squeezed her hand again. "You like me," he chuckled.

Lyvia's face turned pinker if that was even possible. She lowered her eyes and released her hand from his to walk ahead of him. "Are you coming?" she asked him.

They walked in silence for the next few minutes as they climbed the steps into the infirmary, where several beds were lined in a large room. In one corner, Maester Luwin stood with his hands in his sleeves, bending over Peter and listening to his words.

"Peter," Lyvia gasped, rushing towards his bedside.

He lay in the bed among pink and red sheets stained with his blood. His leathers were stripped away and replaced with woolen clothes to keep him warm. His left side had been stitched up poorly, leaving pieces of his intestines peeping out between the two slices of skin. His eyes were half-closed and he sweated, mumbling to himself.

"He speaks of strange things," Maester Luwin said to her. "Airplanes, Throne Con, his Long Claw. He said he is Jon Snow of Winterfell." He gave her a strange look. "Do you know this young man?"

She nodded.

"Peter?" Mandy's jaw dropped open when she saw him. "Stop kidding! This is gross!"

"What happened to him?" Lyvia asked him.

"Cut down by a Kingsguard," Maester Luwin said. "I have given him milk of the poppy to ease his discomfort."

"Peter," Lyvia said in his ear. Her hand stroked the wet hair around his forehead. "Peter, it's Lyvia… Can you hear me?"

He moaned but didn't reply.

Lyvia fought back the tears that were building up behind her eyes. She blamed herself for all of this. With a sigh, she knelt down beside him.

"If you want to pray, you should go to the godswood," Mandy offered. "And we can pass Sandor on the way." Her lips widened into an innocently maniacal smile.

Jory lightly laid a hand on her shoulder and gently ran his fingers down her back as he knelt beside her. "Let me take you to the godswood," he said.

She grasped Peter's hand and squeezed it. As she let him go, his hand tugged her fingers tightly and he popped up suddenly with widened eyes.

"Don't leave me!" he gasped before dropping back onto the pillow.

"Mandy," Lyvia said. "Stay with Peter, will you?"

"But…" Mandy pouted. "Sandor…"

"Mandy, this is important. He doesn't want to be left alone. I still need to speak with Maureen before the King returns from the hunt."

"Bet you're going to the godswood first, though, aren't you?" she narrowed her eyes at Lyvia with a twist of her lips.

Lyvia rose to her feet and nudged Mandy towards the bedside. "Just hold his hand and comfort him," she instructed.

Mandy frowned as she took hold of Peter's hand gingerly, careful not to get any blood on her sleeves. She sighed and glanced at Maester Luwin, who gave her a kind nod of approval. "How long do I have to do this?"

"I'll be back soon," Lyvia told her as Jory led her to a basin of water for her to wash her hands. She washed her hands and wiped them dry with a rag before Jory led her back down into the courtyard. "Should we go down to see Maureen?"

Jory nodded. "After you pray in the godswood," he said, taking her hand and leading her around the kennels.

Lyvia glanced around as she passed the stables. No Sandor Clegane. No Lord Tyrion. No Bran. Her heart raced as she reached the weirwood and her breath came in short gasps as she clutched her stomach with her hands. She felt ill only because she knew what was to come. She hoped that Bran would keep his promise and stay out of trouble, but somehow she knew it was inevitable that he would still fall.

Kneeling by the weirwood, she lowered her eyes and clasped her hands together. She held her sobs so only her shoulders shook when she cried. Feeling his hands on her shoulders only made her sob harder.

"I feel so helpless," he whispered to her. He kneeled beside her and stroked her hair, but he still didn't see the gravity of the situation. "Lyvia." He spun her around on her knees and lifted her face with gentle fingers. His hands cupped her cheeks, wiping her tears with his thumbs. "Please don't cry."

She squeezed her eyes together and shook her head. "Jory." Her hands lowered his arms. "We should go speak with Maureen." She rose to her feet quickly.

Jory frowned and nodded. "As you wish, my lady," he said. He extended a hand to her, which she took hesitantly.


	13. Chapter 13

The dungeons did not smell any better than the last time Lyvia set foot in them. The stench of stale urine and horrid body odor slammed into her face as she rounded the corner to the prisoner cells. Thankfully, the other compartments were empty and only Maureen remained.

"Maureen," Lyvia said in a low voice.

The girl with the blond hair lifted her head and narrowed her eyes. She had been given a woolen blanket to keep warm, but she still shivered from the chill in the air. "This is some realistic theme park," she said. "Well done."

Lyvia shook her head. "Why does everyone think this is a game? Maureen, we're really in Winterfell."

Maureen laughed and rose to her feet. "And I suppose that's the real Jory Cassel?" She pointed to Jory, who stood silently behind Lyvia with his arms crossed.

Lyvia glanced over her shoulder at him and nodded. "Yes, he is."

Maureen cackled loudly. "That's funny. I never imagined him to be so tall and so scowly." Her eyes studied Jory's expression. "Not bad…" She grasped the iron bars of her cell and pressed her head against an opening and tried to peer down the hall. "Where is everyone? Where's Peter? I want to commend him on a grand entrance last night."

Lyvia lowered her eyes and took a step back from the iron bars. "He's been hurt," she said in a low voice.

"Well, we need to get him to a doctor, then," Maureen said. "It's not serious, right?"

"Maester Luwin says he may not survive the night," Jory interrupted.

"What do you mean? He needs to go to hospital then, if it's that serious!" Maureen said with a frown. "Let me out…"

Lyvia turned her eyes to Jory, who stood with a thoughtful expression on his face. "She can't walk around like that," she said to him.

He nodded and pulled her close to him.

"What…?"

His hands gently unfastened her cloak and slipped it off her shoulders. "You may feel cold for a few minutes while I go find something for her to wear. She can wear the cloak over her clothes and have her wear the hood to hide the hair."

Lyvia nodded and stepped back away from him. She didn't feel cold, however. Her hands held her cloak as Jory unlocked Maureen's cell door and pulled it open with a heavy creak.

Maureen gave Jory an impatient stare as she tapped her foot and crossed her arms, waiting for him to be finished. "Are you done?" she asked. "I want to see the rest of this place."

Lyvia thrust her cloak into Maureen's arms as Jory took his leave. Her fingers grazed his hand as he passed her and she gave him a smile. "Thank you, Jory."

He nodded and left the dungeon.

"What is this made of?" Maureen examined the cloak carefully and stuck it to her nose with a wince. "It stinks! Is this synthetic?"

"It's wool!" Lyvia grew impatient herself. "Are you even thinking clearly?"

"Are you? You think this place is really Winterfell? I'm not convinced. It looks like a cheap replica." She ran her fingers along the dirt on the iron bars and grimaced. "This place needs to be cleaned."

"It's a dungeon!" Lyvia felt her face turn pink. She wanted to tear her own hair out from the frustration.

Maureen grunted lightly and draped the cloak over her shoulders with a frown. She pulled the hood over her head with a sigh. "And that Jory is a really awful actor, if you ask me."

"He's not an actor," Lyvia said. "He is Jory."

She shrugged. "Whatever…" She walked passed Lyvia and down the corridor towards the stairs. "Where are we going?" she asked.

"We'll go see Peter." Lyvia said, passing her to lead the way to the infirmary.

When Lyvia and Maureen arrived in the infirmary, Mandy was still sitting beside Peter with her hand on his, but her face looked extremely bored. She yawned as she turned towards Lyvia and Maureen. "Oh! It's Khaleesi!" she shouted as she jumped up. Her face looked relieved when she saw them.

Maureen approached slowly and lowered her hood to look down at Peter, who was lying in the bed with his eyes closed. "What's his problem?"

"The Kingsguard slashed him with a sword," Mandy said.

"Where's Maester Luwin?" Lyvia asked.

"He ran out a few minutes before you came… Jory came and got him…"

Lyvia widened her eyes when she realized what must've happened. "You two stay here with Peter," she said as she lifted her skirts to run out of the infirmary and down the stairs to the courtyard. She saw nothing but chaos as servants rushed frantically passed her.

Running into the Great Keep, she rushed up the steps and followed the sounds of voices as they filtered in from Bran's room. She heard Sansa and Arya crying in the hall as Septa Mordane attempted to comfort them with Jeyne Poole. Jory stood in the doorway with his back to her, but she recognized him immediately. Her hand fell to the small of his back as she stood beside him. Looking up into his worried expression, she knew what had happened.

She peered into the room by craning her neck. Her eyes found Lady Stark kneeling beside her son as he lay in the bed, covered in furs up to his neck. Maester Luwin inspected him carefully as Lady Stark cried. "I told him not to go climbing…" she said bitterly to herself.

Jory pulled Lyvia away and down the hallway. When they were out of earshot of the others, he braced his hands on her shoulders. "You told him not to go misbehaving today," he said to her. "Did you know something like this would happen?"

She couldn't look into his face because she would have to lie to him.

"Tell me, Lyvia. Did you know?" He grasped her by the arms. "Did you?"

Her eyes finally found his face and she shook her head. She knew she didn't fool him. His eyes narrowed at her and a thin line replaced his mouth. She bit her lip and swallowed hard as she watched him sigh and release her. "Jory…"

He turned away from her and returned to the crowd at the other end of the hall without a word.

Lyvia's heart sank as she watched him walk away from her. For the first time since she'd arrived, she felt alone and truly afraid. She ran down the steps of the keep and out into the courtyard just as Lord Stark, the King, and the others rode through the Hunters' Gate. Her feet slipped and she nearly slid beneath Lord Stark's horse if he hadn't moved in time to avoid her. She gazed up at him as he looked down at her with his cold grey eyes.

"Where's Bran?" he asked.

"In his room, my lord," she replied as she stood up. She rushed passed Robb and Benjen Stark on her way into the godswood, her only place for peace.

She knelt by the great weirwood and pressed her forehead against the wood with her eyes closed. Tears began to stream down her cheeks as she sobbed quietly. She wiped her face with the back of her hands when she felt a heavy woven cloak fell upon her shoulders. Turning around, she glanced up at the man who gave her his cloak and her face turned white.

"Your Grace," her voice quivered as she knelt before the King.

He said nothing but studied her with his hands on his hips and his big belly held still by soft leathers. His beard twitched as his lips turned into a frown. "You looked cold," he finally stated in a gruff voice.

"Thank you, Your Grace," she said without moving.

"Though, I don't know why I should worry. Starks are hearty against the cold," he muttered.

"Your Grace, I am not a Stark."

"You don't have to keep up this game of yours… Lyanna. I know I've been away and I know… I was supposed to marry you. Instead, I married the Lannister girl. I thought you were dead. Ned said you died in the Tower of Joy."

"Your Grace, have you been drinking?"

He growled and started to pace like a caged animal. "If he told me you were still alive and living here in Winterfell, I would have sent for you right away… I would have married you. We could have been happy."

Lyvia sat and watched him silently.

"But he hid you away for all these years… and you haven't changed. And I'm married to that woman…"

"Your Grace…" She rose to her feet and he grasped her arm with thick hand of fat fingers. "Please, Your Grace. I am not Lyanna… she's gone."

His fingers tightened around her arm. "You're right here… you're not dead."

"You still love me, don't you? That's why you're still here."

"Your Grace…" she said in a low voice as she tried to pull her arm away from him.

"My name is Robert… you remember, Lyanna? Robert. I loved you more than anything… until he stole you away from me. You were supposed to be mine."

"A woman is not a horse, Your Grace. She doesn't belong to anyone…" She finally managed to escape his vice-like grip and back away from him.

He laughed. "The same spirited girl I remember… stubborn and strikingly beautiful… I'm still madly in love with you…"

She shook her head. "My name is Lyvia Turner, Your Grace. I am not Lyanna Stark."

"Your Grace," Lord Stark appeared in the godswood.

"Go away, Ned," the King growled. "Can't you see I want to be alone with Lyanna?"

"She's not Lyanna, Robert. I didn't hide her. She died. She's dead. You weren't there, I know, but it's true. She's gone and no one will ever take her place." He glanced at Lyvia for a moment with sad eyes. "No matter how much we miss her. She's gone. And life goes on, my friend. You have a beautiful wife… and three beautiful children."

The King shook his head. "All I ever wanted was her…" He pointed at Lyvia.

"The Queen was looking for you," Lord Stark said. "She would like you to sup with her this evening."

"Bah!" the King stormed away.

Lord Stark stared at Lyvia for a moment and shook his head as she removed the King's cloak from her shoulders.

She handed it to him. "Please return this to the King. I'm afraid if I do, the Queen… she may think something awful of me. And it would be best if I didn't return this to him myself." Her voice was low and almost a whisper. "Thank you, my lord."

He nodded and left her alone in the godswood.

She sat back down against the weirwood and closed her eyes. With a deep breath, she tried to concentrate on her prayers for everyone around her, including Bran and Peter. She wasn't sure how long her eyes were shut before she felt a cloak fall over her again. With a frown, she opened her eyes.

"I thought you would be cold," Jory said, adjusting the cape over her shoulders.

"Thank you," she replied.

He stood up and turned to leave when she called after him.

"Jory," she said, forcing him to stop. He didn't turn, however. Instead, he just stood still and silent as he listened to her. "I'm sorry… I should have said something to you earlier."

"What other things are you hiding from me?" he asked. "You're supposed to trust me as I trust you."

She nodded. "I know…but it's something that… I couldn't tell anyone. You probably wouldn't believe me anyway… you'd think I'm crazy."

He finally turned to face her. "You never gave me the chance."

She nodded. "I know… I'm sorry." Tears welled up in her eyes and she had to turn her head away to hide them.

Jory sat beside her and pulled her against him. "He'll be fine."

She nodded. "I know he will," she said quickly. She pushed herself up from him and rubbed her eyes with her fingers.

"What else are you not telling me, then?" he asked as he ran a hand down her back.

She shook her head and shrugged. "What do you want to know?"

"You seem to know an awful lot about everyone here… I don't know anything about you, except that you have a husband."

"I don't have a husband anymore. We're divorced."

"Divorced?"

"We're legally separated from each other and we no longer consider ourselves married to each other."

"Why would you do that?"

"Because it's the way it works where I come from," she said with a crinkled nose. "I don't understand the question."

"You married for love… here, sometimes it's a political decision to marry houses together and create a permanent pact. If a husband is unfaithful, it doesn't dissolve the marriage in any way and the wife certainly does not seek to end it. They just carry on through it." His face twisted into a confused expression. "If you marry for love, then there should be nothing that could be so great that you can't work through it."

"That's a wonderful thought," she said. "But, that's not how it works where I come from… some people carry on and shoulder through… but a lot of us just get divorced and start over again." She shrugged.

"You loved him, though. Your husband."

She nodded and didn't look at him. "I did. I don't anymore."

"He'll always have a part of your heart, Lyvia. You can't deny that. You can bury your emotions but it's still there."

"Have you ever married, Jory?" she asked.

He shook his head. "I never found a woman, who could capture my attention," he paused. Leaning over towards her ear, he whispered, "Until now."

She felt him breathe in her scent as his nose nuzzled into her hair. "Jory…"

"I know… you don't want me to get too close," he chuckled. "You have to know by now that I'm not going to listen to you for much longer."

She scooted away from him.

"Lyvia…what's this Throne Con that Peter was groaning about?" he asked.

Lyvia's face drained of color and she felt ill. "It's just a gather of people who like a series of books," she said casually.

"And these books… what are they about?"

"Jory, I'd rather not discuss this, please." She glanced up into his face with a hopeful smile.

He nodded. "Very well… Describe your home to me."

"You're being nosey," she smirked.

"All I know about you is that you're divorced from your husband… and Mandy stated that you like flowers. I want to know what your home looks like."

"It's a small house," she replied. "Blue on the outside with two bedrooms." She shrugged. Her eyes caught his awkward expression as he tried to ask her more questions but couldn't seem to find the right ones. With a smirk, she stood up and said, "Come, walk with me."

He nodded and rose to his feet. "I'll fetch another cloak," he said, rushing out of the godswood.


	14. Chapter 14

As they appeared at the edge of the godswood, Lyvia caught the eye of the Queen as she led her children to the Great Hall for supper. Her face reddened and she averted her gaze when their eyes locked. Even though the Queen had a kind expression, Lyvia could see the lines beneath her mask. She worried for her safety and for that of Jory so she immediately separated from Jory and kept a distance from him.

She swallowed hard as she watched the Queen and her children enter the Great Hall. The King was nowhere to be found, but she assumed that he was already having his supper with a great deal of wine.

"Did you want supper?" Jory asked as Ser Rodrik marched from stables towards the Great Hall.

Lyvia shook her head as she caught Ser Rodrik's disappointed glare. "I'm not hungry," she said.

"You should eat something," he said as his uncle ignored them and entered the Great Hall.

"I feel like I'm alienating you from your family," she said with a sigh.

Jory stared after his uncle. "I love my uncle dearly, but he's not going to dictate my life."

"And your duty in Winterfell?"

"I do as I am commanded," he said. "Lord Stark commanded that I keep you safe. And that is what I am doing."

She held her cloak close around her shoulders and shivered as she stared into the darkening sky. "I bet you can see more stars at the Wall," she commented. "Oh God! Maureen and Mandy! I bet they're starving!"

"I could have the kitchen bring them some food in the infirmary," he said.

She shook her head. "I should do it," she said. "Maureen will draw attention with her hair and people will wonder why she's not in the dungeons or killed… I don't want the King to know she's still here. He thinks she's a Targaryen."

Jory quickly grasped her hand before she drifted away from him and pulled her towards the kitchen. He snuck in and grabbed a large loaf of bread, a wine skin, a plate of meat, and some cups. He returned with a sly smile as he placed the cups and loaf of bread in Lyvia's hands.

They quietly snuck up to the infirmary with the food in their arms, giggling with each other at how stealthy and clever they were. Lyvia pushed the door open and tiptoed towards Maureen, who was sleeping with her hand on Peter's arm. Jory followed behind her, kicking the door closed with his foot.

"Maureen," Lyvia said in a low voice. "Where's Mandy?" She dropped the cups and bread onto a spare bed behind the blond girl and shook her to wake her. "Maureen?"

The girl's eyes were open and she was cold as stone. Blood had coagulated beneath her chin, mixing with the puddle already on Peter's bed. A large gash could be seen along her throat slightly hidden by her blond hair, which was now turning pink from sponging up the blood.

Lyvia screamed and backed away with her hands against her mouth. She turned and found Jory, burying her head against his neck as he cradled her in his arms. "She's not!" she cried into his shoulder. "Who?"

He held her tightly and stroked her hair, turning her away from the bloody scene. "I must inform Lord Stark," he said as he pressed his lips into her hair.

She nodded and sobbed. "Where's Mandy?" she asked, crying into his shoulder. Her breath escaped in gasps as she looked around the room. "I need to find Mandy."

He peeled her from his body and braced his hands on her shoulders. "Can I leave you here alone?" he asked. "I won't be a minute." He unsheathed his sword and handed it to her. "Hold onto this… I will be right back."

Lyvia couldn't breath as she gripped the sword in her hand. She stared at the body of Maureen and the still body of Peter beneath her. She couldn't believe this was happening. All of the companions were dropping like flies. And for a brief moment, the hope of returning home seemed so far away that she felt that the only way to cope was to give up and settle in Westeros.

"Lyvia!" His hands cupped her face, forcing her to stare into his eyes. "I won't be a minute. I'll send my guards up to keep watch. But I must find Lord Stark. Do you understand?"

Lyvia tried to turn her eyes towards the bodies, but his sudden outburst reclaimed her attention. She nodded.

He pressed his lips to her forehead. Glancing back at her with a concerned face, he opened the door and left her alone.

Lyvia backed up against the wall and slid down to the floor. Sobbing, her eyes clouded and blurred her vision. She could still see the door and the bodies, though not very well. Her heart raced and her throat tightened as she sat, waiting for Jory to return with Lord Stark. Her fingers clenched tightly around the handle of the sword as she heard footsteps. Raising the sword, she slid over to the corner, where she hid behind a bed. She wasn't brave. She was a coward.

As the footsteps approached, she shrunk down and squeezed her eyes closed. Her sobs wouldn't stop, however, and she let out soft cries as her nose sniffled and tears streamed down her cheeks. She stopped when the footsteps finally reached the doorway. Holding the sword against her, she closed her eyes and prayed that it was Jory with Lord Stark.

"You're not supposed to be here," a voice said.

Lyvia opened her eyes to a tall dirty man with blond hair and gaunt face with pale eyes. Her mouth opened to scream but before she could set out a cry and raise her sword, he had disappeared. She sat up tall and peered over the surface of the beds to see the infirmary empty except for the bodies that lay lifeless across from her.

Footsteps thundered towards her and she shrunk down again, pressing her back against the wall. She squeezed her eyes closed and held her breath as she heard Jory's voice call for her.

"Lyvia," Jory knelt before her. "I found her!" He said to the guards behind him. "Lyvia, my lady." His hands warmed her cold fingers and peeled each digit from around the handle of the sword. He sheathed it back into his scabbard and held her trembling fingers in his palms, casting his hot breath upon them to keep her warm. His eyes never left her terrified face.

"Jory?" Lord Stark called for him from the doorway.

Jory sat up, but continued to keep her fingers in his hands. "My lord," he said, glancing at the door.

Lord Stark approached with heavy steps as Ser Rodrik followed him with a grim expression. "Is this how you found them?" Lord Stark asked.

Jory nodded. "Yes, my lord. We were bringing them food. We're still missing the silly red-haired girl, however. She was here when Lyvia left them earlier, but when we returned, the girl was gone."

"Mandy…" Lyvia whispered.

Maester Luwin pushed his way in through the crowd of guards and shook his head.

Lord Stark turned to Ser Rodrik. "Have them wait outside," he said.

Ser Rodrik instructed the guards to wait downstairs and turned back towards Lord Stark with a frown once he closed the door. "This is going to be a problem," he said.

"Who would do this?" Lord Stark asked, but he seemed to know the answer as he glanced over to Ser Rodrik.

Ser Rodrik pursed his lips and shook his head.

"He wouldn't," Lord Stark said. "No matter how much he loathes the Targaryens, he wouldn't do such a thing. Not to an innocent woman. That's not the Robert I know."

"Time changes everyone, my lord," Ser Rodrik said.

Lord Stark peered down at the bodies and studied the wounds. "Must have been quick if no one heard her cry out."

"Perhaps one of the Lannisters," Ser Rodrik offered.

"What quarrel would the Lannisters have with this girl?" Lord Stark asked. He shook his head and glanced down at Lyvia, who still cowered in the corner. "Jory… escort her back to her room."

Jory nodded. "Yes, my lord."

Ser Rodrik grumbled, "When you're done, I should like to see you, Jory."

"Yes, uncle," Jory said as they left the infirmary.

Maester Luwin followed Lord Stark and Ser Rodrik out, leaving them alone.

Lyvia's lips trembled as she avoided looking into Jory's eyes. She caught her breath when he opened his hands and pressed his lips against her fingers. "Jory," she whispered.

"My lady," he replied.

"We have to find Mandy… she could be in grave danger," her voice quivered. Her eyes darted around the room. "He was here," she whispered. "I not supposed to be here…"

Jory rose to his feet and pulled her up into his arms. "I'm here," he reassured her as she trembled against his chest. "You're safe."

She curled into his arms and pressed her hand against his chest, staring at her fingers as they splayed over his heart. "I'm not supposed to be here," she whispered as he laid his hand flat over hers and pressed her palm hard against his heart. His heart raced beneath her fingers.

"Let's get you to your room," he said, leading her towards the door.

Her eyes caught the bodies once more as she passed them and she almost collapsed from weakened legs. Instead, she tripped over her own feet and spilled to the floor.

"Lyvia," he said in a soft voice as he lifted her into his arms.

"I can walk," she said as he carried her to the door.

"I know you can," he replied. "It doesn't mean I'm going to let you."

"Jory…"

"No arguing. That's enough," he said firmly. "I won't hear any more arguing from you tonight about what you can and can't do."

She pressed her lips together and sunk into his arms.

Jory took her back to her room and placed her down on her bed. He walked to the window and glanced down at the courtyard, where the Stark guards patrolled the perimeter alongside the Kingsguard. He shook his head at the scene with a sigh. "There's something I just don't like about this," he said. Turning back to Lyvia, he gave her a kind smile. "Lord Stark is going south to King's Landing," he stated.

She nodded as she unfastened her cloak. "I know."

He walked to her door and closed it before continuing. "I am accompanying him."

She lowered her eyes and nodded. "I know."

"Come with me," he folded his arms across his chest.

Lyvia lifted her eyes to see his hopeful face. "I… I don't know what to say."

"I know you've been hurt by your husband… I know you're afraid. But I promise you; I will never hurt you, Lyvia. My lady. The fire that burns for you is brighter than I've ever known… and it's all because I met you."

Lyvia snorted. "That's such a corny line!" She chuckled with a shake of her head. When she looked into his eyes, she saw the embarrassment in them. Her cheeks turned pink and she bit her lip. "I'm sorry, Jory… it's just sounded so… weird."

Jory knelt before her. "He never spoke of his love for you?"

She shook her head. "He told me he loved me… that was about it." She shrugged. "I guess I'm just not accustomed to such sweet words." She felt awkward as her hand patted him on the shoulder with a kind smile.

"You're mocking me," he said with a frown.

"No! I'm not!" she said quickly. "I… I just don't know what to do."

"Say you will come with me," he smiled at her, grasping her hands with his.

"Can I think about it?" she asked. "It's such a big decision… and Mandy… I still have to find Kate." She lowered her eyes to his hands and smiled.

"Of course, my lady," he said, kissing her hands. He rose to his feet and walked to the door. "Good night, my lady. Sweet dreams."


	15. Chapter 15

The next morning, Lyvia went to the kitchen and picked up a tray with a loaf of sliced bread, some butter, meats, and fruit as well as a cup and a bottle of wine. She crossed the courtyard, back into the keep, where she climbed the steps and slowly walked down the hallway towards Bran's room.

Pushing the door open, she saw the little pale boy lying still underneath a bundle of furs. Beside him, Lady Stark sat with dark circles beneath her sad, worn eyes.

"My lady," Lyvia said in a low voice.

She looked up at Lyvia with such a tired expression it almost made her cry.

"I've brought you something to eat," Lyvia said, placing the tray down beside her.

Lady Stark tried to smile, but she seemed to lack the energy to do so. "That's very kind of you, but I'm not hungry," she said in a hoarse voice.

Lyvia poured her some wine and placed the cup in her hands. "Please, Lady Stark, you need to eat something. Bran will need you to be strong."

Lady Stark sighed.

"How is he doing?" Lyvia asked.

"He's the same…" she replied, taking a sip of wine.

Lyvia took a step carefully towards him. "Where's Summer…? I mean… where's his pup?"

"He's outside," she said. "I can't have that thing in here with him like this." Her hands trembled as she placed her cup down on the tray.

Lyvia nodded. "Would you like me to sit with him while you go to the sept to pray?"

"How did you know?" Lady Stark's tired eyes widened as she stared at her.

"I could stay here if you would like, my lady."

She shook her head. "I can't leave him," Lady Stark said, staring at Bran.

"Very well, my lady. But please eat something." Lyvia gave her a kind smile and left Lady Stark alone with her son. She walked down back to the courtyard and to the Great Hall, hoping that the King and the Lannisters were still sleeping. She certainly didn't feel up to seeing any of them this morning. With a deep sigh, she entered the hall, where the Starks were breaking fast.

Mandy sat beside Jory and were in a deep conversation when she approached. Arya jumped up and ran towards her, leaping into her arms. "Where have you been?" she asked as she draped her arms around Lyvia's neck.

"I must have slept late, my lady," Lyvia said with a smile. She dropped her to the floor and followed Arya back to the dining table.

"Yes, flowers… or sing a song…" Mandy whispered, though Lyvia was sure the girl didn't know how to lower her voice into a whisper. She glanced at Lyvia with a plastic smile that made her look psychotic.

"Mandy…" Lyvia interrupted her. "Where have you been?"

"I was in my room, sleeping," she replied. "Why?"

"I… just wondered where you were last night…after I left you with Peter and Maureen."

She shrugged. "I got bored. And I went down and found Sandor... and I kind of followed him around a bit before I got shooed away by that brat Joffrey."

"Joffrey's not a brat," Sansa said sharply. "He's a prince… and he's handsome and wonderful."

Arya rolled her eyes.

"He's a brat and I wish I could just slap him one," Mandy muttered.

"After that… what did you do?"

Mandy shrugged. "I went to my room, I think. I got bored. So I slept."

Lyvia sighed.

"Why? Where's Maureen? Is she still with Peter?"

Lyvia glanced over at Jory and then to Lord Stark, who had no words. She nodded. "She's with Peter."

"Doesn't she want breakfast?" Mandy asked with curious eyes.

"I think she's fine," Lyvia told her. She would break the news to Mandy later, when they were alone. There was no sense in upsetting the children during breakfast.

Mandy leaned over to Jory and whispered in his ear, causing him to nod and smile.

"We're going with father to King's Landing," Arya said as she tore into some bread. "Sansa, Jeyne, and me… Septa Mordane is coming too."

Sansa nodded politely with a gentle smile as she cut into her meat with her knife and fork.

"How exciting!" Lyvia said. "You get to live in the Capital."

Arya frowned.

"What is it? You should be excited! It's a new experience for you," Lyvia said.

"I don't like the idea of leaving Bran," she said.

"He'll be fine. And when he gets better, he could always come down to visit you."

Arya looked unsure. "Will you come with us?"

Lyvia glanced up at Lord Stark and his cold stare, and then over to Jory, who looked like he was holding his breath for her answer. Looking back down into the wide grey eyes of Arya Stark, her face melted into a smile. "I'll have to think about it, my lady. I don't think it's appropriate for an unmarried woman to be traveling without an escort."

"I… actually invited her to come with me," Jory added.

Arya dropped her mouth open with a wide grin. "Jory could be your escort," she said. "And you won't be alone. You'll be with us."

Lyvia lowered her eyes and her cheeks pinked. She looked at the many faces that stared at her from across the table and felt as though she was being backed into a corner. Taking a deep breath, she rose from her seat with a smile and excused herself from the dining table.

Her feet couldn't carry her fast enough out of the Great Hall and through the courtyard to the stables. She turned her head back towards the entrance to the Great Hall to ensure she wasn't being followed or watched, but in her haste she accidentally ran into Hodor, whose mountainous stature knocked her to the ground.

"Hodor?" he said, turning around casually. He helped her up to her feet with a blank expression. "Hodor!"

"Could I get a horse?" she asked. She wasn't sure where she was going or where she wanted to go. She just knew that she had to get away.

Hodor lumbered away. "Hodor!"

Lyvia tightened her cloak around her neck and realized from the faint scent on it that it was still Jory's cloak. She ran her hands over the fur collar, tipping her head to feel the softness against her cheek.

"Hodor!" Hodor returned with a saddled mare. "Hodor!"

"Please don't tell anyone where I've gone," she said to him.

"Hodor?"

"Please," she said as she mounted her horse. She knew she should have gone to change into her jeans, but she was in no mood to return to the keep and risk being caught by Jory or any of the other Starks. She urged her horse out of the Hunters' Gate and into the Wolfswood.

Lyvia didn't know how long she rode through the woods. Everything looked the same to her and the only way she could cope was to ride straight until she couldn't go any further, then turning and riding straight again. This was not the most optimum way of traversing the Wolfswood. It would have been easier if she had a map. But since she didn't, she just rode until she got tired. Dismounting from her horse, she started to walk through the woods, wary of any odd sounds around her. She finally stopped by a fallen tree and sank to the ground with tears in her eyes.

Her heart raced and her mouth dried as she thought of the choice she had to make. Her fingers rubbed her eyes as she sniffled and shook from the cold. She loved Jory, there was no doubt in her heart. But she knew his fate. She knew what was to become of him in King's Landing. How was she going to survive his death? It already tore her apart when she first read the story and then, when she watched it on television. Now, knowing him, how sweet and gentle he is, she couldn't bear the thought of losing him.

"I can't," she whispered. "I mustn't fall in love with him." She glanced up at her horse's face and she didn't seem very interested in anything Lyvia had to say. With a smirk, she wondered what her horse would think about all of this. "You probably think I'm a loon," she said to her horse.

She shook her head. Would it be so awful to change his fate? Would it have made a difference if he were not in King's Landing or with Lord Stark? A deep sigh escaped her lips as she sat with her knees up against her chest. "What am I going to do?" she whispered as she hugged her knees. Tears streamed down her eyes as her horse lifted her head and snorted. Lyvia didn't pay much attention to her as she whinnied and reared up before stamping her feet.

Lyvia lifted her head, her eyes red, and listened for whatever spooked her horse. She thought it was Jory at first, tracking her through the woods like a bloodhound. But when she sat up and craned her neck around the fallen tree, she saw two dark shadows approach her slowly. Her eyes were still blurred from her tears to see them clearly, but her skin prickled and the hair on the back of her neck stood on end.

"Lovely lady shouldn't be out alone in the woods," one of them said.

Lyvia rubbed her eyes. The man was thin and sickly looking with a gaunt face and pale blue eyes. His hair was shaggy and dark brown, covering a dirty face. His clothes were tattered and dirty as if he'd worn them for most of his life. He gave her a crooked smile of brown teeth as he approached slowly.

The other one was bald with a graying beard. His face was just as dirty as the first and he looked as though he was missing a few fingers on his left hand. His right hand, however, held a shiny dagger with a blade that was chipped. He stood further away from her, sidestepping towards her horse.

"What do you want?" she said, rising to her feet.

The thin man laughed. "What do I want?"

"I don't have any money," she replied, taking a step back from him.

"A lady has other things of value," the thin man said. "Much more valuable than money."

Lyvia understood what he wanted and she wasn't about to give it to him willingly. She sidestepped towards her horse, watching the bald man as he held the blade out into the light so it glinted in her eyes. The thin man laughed and faked a lunge at her, startling her and causing her to cry out. She made a mad dash towards her horse, but the thin man caught her quickly and threw her to the ground. She screamed as she rolled down towards the log.

The thin man laughed. "I told you, it's dangerous out here," he said.

The bald man cackled as he stroked her horse's neck.

Lyvia rose up to her knees and felt the wind was knocked from her. She shook her head and blinked as the thin man sauntered towards her.

"There are thieves and murderers out here in these woods. There're also desperate men in these woods." He caught a fist in her hair and pulled her head back so she could look into his thin face.

Lyvia took a deep breath and threw a punch into his groin.

As the thin man curled into a ball, she staggered onto her feet and started running. She didn't know which way she was going, but she hoped it was in the direction of Winterfell. Screaming at the top of her lungs, she wound her way around the trees, her breath gasping as she ran away from the sounds of her horse's hooves beating the ground towards her. She stopped and pressed her back against a thick trunk, hoping that the bald man would keep riding.

The thin man came trailing behind, screaming wildly as he chased the bald man on the horse.

Lyvia circled the tree as they passed and slowly moved in the opposite direction. But as she finally found her way to the meadow by the edge of the Wolfswood, she felt hands on her shoulders that sent her forward onto the ground. Rolling over, her eyes met those of the thin man.

"Now, that's going to cost extra, my lady," he mocked her as he sat on top of her.

Lyvia scratched and punched him, biting him when he tried to steady her hands. She screamed until she felt his fist land against her jaw, forcing her to cut her lip with her teeth. Her cheek throbbed and her jaw ached, but she still continued to kick and thrash.

"Give me a hand!" the thin man said to the bald man on the horse.

He dismounted and held Lyvia's hands down over her head as the thin man unfastened her cloak with a crooked smile.

Lyvia had to squeeze her eyes closed. She felt his hands grope her and rip the top of her dress, causing her to scream and cry at the same time. "No! Please!" But as she cried out, she felt the earth shake beneath her. She thought it was an earthquake at first, but she knew there were no earthquakes in Westeros. Her heart raced almost as loudly as the thundering hooves approaching. Tears streamed down her face as the thin man continued his assault.

But before his hands could reach down into her dress, he screamed.

Everything seemed to occur in slow motion as she opened her eyes. She saw guards riding towards them, but they were still yards away when the bald man stood up and tried to run. The thin man was rolling on the ground with his hands to his face. She looked up as a shadow fell over her face.

"Jory…" she whispered as he held a bloody sword in his hand. His horse joined hers by a tree as the guards rode on after the bald man, who fled through the trees.

Jory stood over the thin man, a sword in one hand and a balled fist in the other. He glanced over at Lyvia as though the devil had possessed him. His eyes were aflame with anger and his face was turned into a scowl. Turning back towards the thin man, he ended it with a swift stab through his chest.

Lyvia stared at the thin man as he stopped moving and Jory turned towards her. Her throat tightened as she watched him sheath his sword and kneel by her side. "What did you do?" she asked.

"He hurt you," Jory said. "He was going to rape you. What would you have me do?"

Lyvia couldn't catch her breath.

"Why did you run away?" he asked.

She sat up and said, "I just couldn't… I had to get away to think… alone."

"It's not safe in the Wolfswood, you know that. You had me worried… when I couldn't find you anywhere… I thought the worst," he sighed.

She looked down and covered herself with her hands. Her face still ached from where she was struck, but it was the embarrassment that colored her cheeks at that moment. Her hand rubbed her cheek and jaw, hissing when she found a painful spot.

"You're hurt," he said, gently cupping her cheek with his hand. He withdrew his fingers when she winced from his touch.

"I'm fine," she lied.

Jory lifted her cloak and draped it over her shoulders, fastening it tightly around her neck. "Let me take you back to Winterfell," he put his arm around her shoulders.

"I'll be fine," she said, attempting to rise to her feet.

Jory sighed and helped her up. He kept close to her until she was able to balance on her own, still staying within a hair of her even as she staggered to her horse. "Lyvia," he sighed. "Let me help you."

"I'm fine," she said as she stumbled to the ground. Her head spun and she felt ill. Closing her eyes, she felt Jory kneel beside her and allow her to rest her head against him. "Jory…"

"I'm here," he whispered.

"Don't leave me…" Her words were a whisper but unmistakable.


	16. Chapter 16

Jory had sent two of his men back to Winterfell with the bald man as their prisoner. "You will do well to tell the truth when speaking to Lord Stark of your actions," he told him as they led him away with bound hands.

Lyvia watched as Jory instructed the other guards to keep a distance of thirty feet from them as she sat at t edge of the Wolfswood, hidden from Winterfell by a few trees. "You can go back," she told him as he sat down beside her against an ironwood.

He shook his head. "I am not going to let you out of my sight again," he said. "And you are coming with me to King's Landing."

"I thought that was my choice," she argued.

Jory sighed. "It's obvious that you cannot make good choices..." He had a smug look on his face that made Lyvia's cheeks flush even redder than they already were.

Lyvia rose to her feet without a word and stormed off deeper into the woods, stomping her way through the dirt and leaves that littered the forest floor. She found another ironwood and slid down against it, wiping a stray tear from her eye. Holding back her sobs was difficult since she was already emotionally drained. She hardly had the strength to keep her composure.

"Lyvia," Jory came up behind her as she crossed her arms and turned her head away from him. "I didn't mean... my words came out wrong. I just meant that you chose to come out here unescorted and you were nearly raped and killed."

"I hate it here!" she blurted coldly. Soon, the sobs followed and she became a shaking, watery mess.

Jory tried to comfort her with a tight embrace, but it only seemed to make it worse. The tighter he held her, the louder she sobbed. "I'm sorry you feel that way," he said to her, stroking her hair. With a sigh, he pressed his cheek against her head.

"It's just not home. This place... your world... it's a horrible world. You have wars and violence..."

"Doesn't your world have wars and violence?" he asked.

"Well... yes... but we don't fight over petty slights. We don't fight because of one woman," she said, pushing away from him.

"Do you think it was all about Lyanna?" he asked. "The war was over power. The Mad King had the power but he abused it... He killed Rickard Stark and Brandon Stark... his son kidnapped Lyanna and probably raped her... King Robert rose up to fight against that abuse of power."

"I don't think she was kidnapped," she said to him. "I think they were in love. And besides... The Starks threatened the royal heir to the throne, did they not? Brandon threatened Rhaegar... and threatening the life of the royal heir was against the law?"

"What do men in your world fight over then, if it's not over power?"

"We fight over oil..." Lyvia stopped herself after she heard her words and how stupid they sounded. "And we defend those who can't defend themselves…" Her mouth twisted into a frown. "Though, we can't seem to help ourselves," she muttered.

"Fighting over oil seems silly," he said with a laugh. "What's so wonderful about your world? Here, you have food and shelter… beautiful sky… crisp cool air."

"You can't go down to the corner store and buy a bagel at three in the morning, can you?" she asked.

"What's a bagel?"

"It's almost like a bread – I guess," she replied.

"What's so special about that? You can go to the kitchen to get bread."

She sighed. "We have buildings that are so tall that you can almost reach the stars," she said.

"We have the Wall…" he argued.

Lyvia rolled her eyes and gave him a smirk. "I miss taking a bath!"

"Come here, my love," he said, pulling her back towards him.

"No… you don't have… you can't tell me what I can and can't do," she said, fighting him. She slapped at his hands and stood up on jelly legs. "Just leave me alone," she cried as she walked away from him.

It took a while, but she managed to walk back to Winterfell. She didn't turn around as she walked but she knew Jory was not far behind her with her horse. "Stupid," she murmured to herself when she thought of her horse and how much faster it would have been if she rode back. With a frown, she entered through the Hunters' Gate and rushed through the courtyard towards the Great Keep.

She ran up the stairs and into her room, where she closed the door and tried to flop onto her bed, but ended up slamming into the wooden frame instead. A frown fell to her lips as she finally allowed her tears to flow.

"Are you hungry?" Jory's voice spoke through her door, followed by a soft knock. "Lyvia?" He knocked again.

Lyvia turned over and didn't answer him but she knew what he would do. Almost on cue, he slowly opened her door with a creak and closed the door behind him. "Just leave me alone," she said as she felt him kneel behind her.

His hand fell upon her shoulder. "Lyvia, my lady," he said in a low voice. He stopped himself with a pause before he leaned closer to her. "Meet me in the godswood tonight."

She shook her head. "I shouldn't," she said, turning over. Looking up at him with red, puffy eyes, she sat up and pulled her knees to her chest. Her eyes caught his sad expression, which pulled at her heart. "I can't," she replied.

Jory's face saddened as he rose to his feet. "I'll still wait for you," he said as he left the room.

Lyvia stared at the door and wished she had the strength to stop him from leaving. She wished she could convince him to stay in Winterfell instead of going down to King's Landing, where he would meet his ultimate demise, but as she thought about it, she knew she couldn't interfere. _I can't stop him from dying… I can't change the story,_ she thought.

She walked to the window and peered down into the courtyard. She watched Jory walk towards the stables with a serious face as the Stark boys practiced their sword fighting. With a sigh, she glanced out at the guesthouse as the Queen and her brother slowly slinked out of the doorway. On the battlement, she saw Mandy following the Hound as the Prince and Sansa strolled the perimeter.

After changing into her blue dress, Lyvia walked out of the Great Keep and walked up to the battlement, hoping to find Mandy, but somehow they had all disappeared. She stared out at the Wolfswood as the sun was finally beginning to set.

"Are you coming to sup with us?" Arya asked.

Lyvia didn't notice the little lady standing beside her. She was as quiet as a mouse. "I'm not hungry, my lady."

"But, it would be the last time we'd have supper together. Father said we are leaving tomorrow for the south," she frowned.

"I just…"

She widened her eyes. "Is it because of Jory?" she asked.

"I… I… no… I'm just not hungry," Lyvia replied.

"Because he's looking sad when I just saw him. He really likes you," she said. "I've never seen him so flustered. You like him, I know you do. I just don't understand why you won't tell him."

"It's not that simple, my lady. These things aren't so easy..."

"If you like him, you should tell him. It's just like in the stories Mandy tells us… the hound and the little bird never tell each other they love each other… and so they spend most of their time being miserable because they never say anything." Arya reached up and tried to look out over the battlement wall. Glancing up at Lyvia's face, she gave her a wide innocent grin. "He's a good man. He's loyal and kind. And I've never seen him in love before. He's so happy when he's with you."

Lyvia's face softened. "I'm very happy when he's with me, too. I haven't been this happy since... I can't remember."

"Then tell him. Come with us to King's Landing. Please?"

Lyvia gave her a gentle smile and stroked the little girl's hair. "I'm still missing a friend, my lady. She means the world to me. I have to find her before I can do anything else or go anywhere else."

Arya looked disappointed.

"But I will miss you, very much," she told her.

Arya nodded and left Lyvia alone on the battlement.

Lyvia leaned on the stone wall and dropped her head down on the cold surface. With a sigh, she wondered what she was missing at home. Hot coffee, her car, a nice hot shower with her loofah. But as she continued to think, she became engulfed in the memories of her and her ex-husband before he was a douchebag. How they used to have breakfast in bed on the weekends. How they used to share each other secrets. She missed the intimacy she shared with him.

"My lady," Robb Stark found her.

Lyvia turned to face him. "Yes?"

"Have you had supper yet?"

She shook her head. "I'm not hungry this evening," she replied. "Thank you, though. I appreciate everyone's concern."

"I heard about your unfortunate incident in the Wolfswood, my lady," Robb said.

"Please, just call me Lyvia, my lord. I don't hold lands or a title. I'm not a lady of some highborn house." She smiled at him when his cheeks turned pink.

"Very well, Lyvia. Do you need to see the Maester for your injuries?" he asked.

"It's nothing. Just a small bruise."

"And a cut on your lip," he pointed out.

"I'm fine," Lyvia insisted.

Robb turned towards the courtyard from the battlement. "In the future, you should travel with an escort at the very least," he said, turning back towards her with a flush in his cheeks.

"Understood, my lord," she said. "Is there something else I can do for you?"

Robb's lips turned into a smile. "There is something. I was instructed to take you into the Great Keep," he said. "That is if you were done with supper." He laughed. "But since you're not eating... please come with me."

"Where are you taking me?" she asked as she took his arm.

He led her back to the Great Keep and up the steps. They took a corridor that Lyvia had never gone down, mainly because it seemed to lead away from the main section of the structure. Robb confidently walked down the dimly lit hallway to a closed door. With a serious expression on his face, he said, "Close your eyes."

"What?" Lyvia shook her head. "I'm really not in the mood for games, my lord."

"Please, Lyvia. Just close your eyes. You're safe here. It's just a surprise." Robb smiled. "Or I may have to blindfold you."

Lyvia snorted. "Be careful... I just might like that." She bit her lip when she heard herself.

Robb laughed. "Just close your eyes."

Lyvia did as she was told and closed her eyes. She heard the door open and a gust of warm air greeted her. Being pushed inside, she shuffled her feet for fear of tripping on something and stumbling to the floor. She smelled the sulfur of a fire and the sweet fragrance of perfume - or it could have been flowers... or a combination of both.

"Open your eyes," Robb whispered.

Lyvia lifted her lids slowly. The first thing she saw was a giant iron tub in the middle of the room, filled with steaming hot bathwater. All around her, the servants had lit candles and fired up the hearth so the room had a warm ethereal glow to it. She smelled the various flowers that sat in small cups all around the room and the centerpiece of half a dozen blue roses. "This is for me?" she asked Robb.

He nodded. "Jory wasn't sure if you'd like it and since you've been a little distant from him today since the incident in the Wolfswood, he asked that I bring you here. He thought you wouldn't come with him if he asked... but he wanted this for you."

Lyvia fought back the tears and gave him a smile as she wiped her eyes. "If you see him, tell him that I said 'Thank you', will you?"

Robb nodded. "There's also a plate of some food for you. And Septa Mordane was able to find you another dress since your other one was torn," he pointed towards the window, where a chair and table sat beneath it. "If there's anything else you need, please don't hesitate to ask."

"My lord?" she asked.

Robb stopped at the door and turned.

"Why is he being so nice to me?" she asked him.

Robb gave her a smile. "It's easy to be nice when you're in love, my lady."

Lyvia lowered her eyes.

"I believe he would like to meet you in the godswood later... he has something to tell you," Robb said as he stepped out.

She nodded. "I have something to tell him, as well."

Robb nodded and closed the door.

Lyvia couldn't wait to strip down and jump into the scalding water. She removed her dress and her underwear, and managed to sink into the hot water up to her neck after a quick scream and dance. She ended up splashing much of the hot water out of the tub when she hopped around from being scalded. But finally, she gritted her teeth and lowered herself into the water.

"Damn, that's hot," she said to herself as she grasped her underwear and washed them in the bath. "I'll be damned if I have to wear stinking underwear again..." She wrung out her undergarments and moved a chair close to the hearth where she hung them to dry. Back into the tub, she splashed the water again and sunk down to warm herself.

She wasn't paying attention to how long she was in the tub. She was thankful that she was able to bathe at all. But as her skin pruned and the water started to cool, she knew she would have to get out soon or she'd freeze. With a sigh, she grasped a sheet and stood up, wrapping herself up in it before stepping out of the water.

Her feet met the stone floor lightly at first, expecting the chill to freeze her toes, but the floor was not as cold as she imagined. She managed to tiptoe across to the underwear, which was still drying by the fire, where she sat by the hearth and warmed herself in her sheet. Her stomach gurgled as she sat before the fire, complaining that it was empty and hungry.

She stumbled to the plate of food by the window and bit into a slice of bread and cheese. Her eyes stared out the window into the darkness. She had no idea that it was so late. With a smile, she found a hairbrush and comb on her new dress, a beautiful dark blue gown with long sleeves and a low, scooped neckline. She brushed and combed her hair, taking out the snags, until her hair was as silky as the shift she would wear with the new dress.

The shift slipped on her body easily, though she felt a little naked without her underwear. With a smirk, she lifted the dark blue gown and pulled it on. Thankfully, the dress tied in the front, making it easy for her to tighten the laces and make a bow. She slipped on her boots and zipped them up before bending over the blue roses for a quick sniff of their sweet fragrance. Her heart raced as she donned her cloak and fastened it around her neck. Swinging the door open, she felt the difference in temperature between the room and the hallway and for the first time, she really felt the chill against her bones.


	17. Chapter 17

Lyvia had never really noticed the chill in the air before. But that night, even with Jory's thick wool cloak over her shoulders, she felt the tiny stings as the cold stabbed at her from every direction. She definitely felt naked without her underwear and as she walked to through the courtyard, passing the guards, she was sure everyone knew that she did not have her underwear on.

She rounded the corner and entered the godswood, finding her usual spot by the weirwood. As she stood by the tree, her hand grazed the eyes gently as it had done the very first time she saw them. A smile curled onto her lips as she remembered Jory's hand over hers and the heat of his palm against her fingers.

Her eyes fell and she turned her back to the weirwood as tears began to stream down her face. She wiped the tears away with her fingers and prepared her face to look normal and not upset. Glancing down at the pond, she couldn't help but notice how beautiful the moon looked on the water's surface. Her eyes lifted to the sky, where she saw a shooting star streak across the heavens. A smile faintly returned to her lips.

"You came," Jory said to her.

Lyvia lowered her eyes to see Jory at the entrance to the godswood. She watched him as he slowly and cautiously walked towards her as she nodded. "I just wanted to at least thank you for the gift earlier, personally."

Jory grinned and shook his head. "It was nothing, my lady," he said. "A mere luxury to which you were entitled for all that you've been through."

"Well, it was beautiful and much appreciated…" She took a step back from him as he approached.

"Were you able to relax and enjoy your bath?" he asked, stopping by the weirwood. His hand touched the red eyes with a smile as she had done earlier.

She nodded. "Yes, thank you."

His eyes drew down from her hair to her face and further down to her body, where he took a deep breath. "You look lovely, this evening," he said. "The dress is perfect on you."

Lyvia felt her cheeks warm. "Thank you," she said. "I understand Septa Mordane managed to obtain it for me."

He nodded. "It was actually a dress that Lyanna had worn," Jory said in a low voice. "I requested Lord Stark's permission to rummage through his sister's old clothes. It's remarkable how you're the same size as Lyanna."

"Jory…"

"It's perfect on you," he said, taking a step closer to her. "You look beautiful."

"What did you want?" she asked, crossing her arms.

He leaned against the weirwood and took in a deep breath. "I wanted to talk to you," he said. "I wanted to tell you something."

Lyvia stared into his worried face. "What is it?" At first, she feared the worst. She thought something had happened to Mandy or perhaps they had finally found Kate and she was dead. But as she looked into his brown eyes, she saw the nervousness in his expression. His eyes were wide and he shook ever so lightly. His feet shuffled in place as he changed his stance while leaning on the tree. "Is something wrong?"

Jory grinned and rubbed his temple with a gloved finger. "I just wanted to tell you, my lady," he hesitated with a deep breath. "How much I care for you."

Lyvia nodded. "I know," she replied, gazing into his eyes.

He nodded. "You are the most interestingly beautiful woman I've ever met, Lyvia. My lady. You are kind and gentle… you are the brightest star in the heavens and I've followed you from the moment I saw you… I can't help but feel torn when I'm not with you."

"Jory…" she shook her head. "I appreciate your kind words, but…"

"But… there is no but… I can see in your eyes how you feel. Why can't you accept it and admit it?" he said with a frown. "You're the very fire in my soul, Lyvia… without you, I'm empty… I'm hollow."

She shook her head. "Jory, you are my dear sweet knight, but…" She looked away from him. "I can't do this…"

He approached her and lifted her chin with his fingers. "I know you're afraid. You're afraid because of your husband, but I will not let you get hurt. I am not him," he said, staring into her tearful eyes. "I won't hurt you, my lady, my love. I love you."

Lyvia froze and her bottom lip started to tremble when his thumb grazed lightly across it. "You what?"

"I love you," he repeated. His jaw clenched and she saw the seriousness in his eyes. "I am in love with you, Lyvia Turner. I have been in love with you from the moment I saw you. From the moment I heard your voice and touched your skin, my whole body has been longing to be with you. Just seeing your smile makes even the brightest of sun pale in comparison." He leaned closer to her face. "And your tears just break my heart. I want to catch your tears and whisk them away. I want to make you so happy that you'll never ever think of crying again."

Lyvia took a step back from him. "Jory, those are such sweet words, I don't deserve them. How I wish I could allow you to love me… but I can't. Your first duty is with Lord Stark and Winterfell. You can't abandon them."

"Who said anything about abandoning the Starks or Winterfell?" he asked. "I can perform my duty and I can still love you." He grasped her by the arm before she could pull any further away from him. "You are the woman I have always dreamt of… a woman who loves the Starks as much as I do… who treats them like family. And they love you in return." He pulled her closer to him. "My heart is yours as well as my soul. You are everything to me."

She lowered her eyes and fought back her tears. She loved him in return, but she couldn't allow herself to do so openly. She guarded her heart and loving him would only lead to disaster. Shaking her head, she hid her tears as she fell into his arms and hugged him. "Jory," she sobbed. "I wish things were different… if I had met you in my own world, I could give you my whole heart without reservation… but once I find Kate, I'm going to go home… I would be leaving you… I can't let you go through that." Her head relaxed in the crook of his shoulder.

"I could go with you," he whispered.

"NO!" she pushed herself away from him.

His face turned pink from her sudden outburst. "I was just making a suggestion," he said in a low voice.

"And it was a lovely one, my sweet Jory," her hand caressed his face. "And under other circumstances, I would be more than happy if you were to come with me… but you belong here with the Starks. You need to stay and do your duty."

He frowned. "This could be your home," he said, holding her hand. "If you can't find a way back to your world, you can stay here. I'm sure Lord Stark wouldn't mind…"

"And what would I do?" she asked him, playing along with him.

"You could be my lady and assist Lady Stark," he replied with a shrug and a smile. "The only thing I'm concerned with is that you stay in Winterfell."

"You'll be going down to King's Landing for God knows how long," she replied with a tilt of her head.

"And so you should come with me…" He reeled her into his arms and held her tightly. "Marry me, Lyvia…"

She looked up into his serious face with a laugh. "You're kidding!" she said with a chuckle. "You can't be serious…"

"Why not? I am in love with you and I want you to be with me. I want you to be my wife."

"And I don't get a say in this?" she asked, struggling against him.

"Of course you do… say yes. Tell me you love me and you'll marry me," he smiled down at her, squeezing her tightly in his arms.

She felt the warmth return as she remained in his embrace. Lowering her head against his chest, she pressed her ear against his heart and heard it beat loudly. Her hand found its way up to his chest and she pressed her palm against the leathers that covered his body. As before, his hand held hers against him so she could feel the strength of its song against her fingers.

"It sings for you," he whispered.

She nodded and looked up at his endearing face. "Such a sweet man," she whispered. "My sweet knight." But as the tears began to well in her eyes, his expression changed.

He shook his head. "I want you, Lyvia," he said as he released her. "I want you to love me and marry me." He paced back and forth before her as she stared at her feet. "Look into my eyes, my love," he stopped before her and gazed into her face. "Look into my eyes and tell me that you do not care for me… that you do not have feelings for me.. that you do not love me. And I will leave you alone."

She looked his dark brown eyes. "I care for you, Jory," she said in a whisper. "But I can't love you…"

"Can't or won't?" his voice rose an octave as his face turned red.

"It's not that simple… " Her mind raced of the battle in the Red Keep between the Lannister's men and Jory and Lord Stark. She remembered his fate and it only brought more tears to her eyes. She squeezed her eyes closed and had to bring her hands up to her face to hide her cries.

Jory held her in his arms and sighed. "Whatever it is… it can't be that bad," he whispered, which made her sob even louder.

She shook her head. "You don't know what's to come," she blurted.

"No one does, my love," he replied. He peeled her away from his body and braced her shoulders with his hands. His fingers wiped the tears from her cheeks. "No one can know what is to come… we can only live by today."

She nodded but she knew what was to come and she wanted to tell him. It took every ounce of strength to hold her tongue and not tell him about King's Landing. But her eyes betrayed her as she stared into his face.

"You look worried, my lady," he said. "What is it?"

She shook her head. "It's nothing," she lied.

He sighed. "You need to trust me," he whispered.

"Do you trust me?" she asked him.

Jory stood tall and proud as he said, "With my life." Those words only caused her to begin sobbing again. The image of the dagger in his eye was embedded in her mind… damn television. And the thought of losing him was more than she could bear. "Tell me you love me, Lyvia," he asked, stroking her cheek.

She shook her head. "Jory… please don't do this to me. Don't force me to make a decision."

"It's not a difficult decision if you do," he said, taking a step back from her.

Lyvia stood against the weirwood with her hands by her sides.

"I suppose I have my answer," he said, taking another step away from her. His face was disappointed as he turned from her.

Lyvia wiped her tears from her face as she watched him walk away. But as soon as he reached the edge of the godswood, he turned back towards her.

"Would you grant me one request?" he asked, returning to her. He moved slowly and cautiously with each step.

"Anything," she replied. She swallowed hard as he approached her.

"Allow me the honor of tasting your lips with one kiss?" His eyes gazed into her face.

Before her mind could force her to say no, she was nodding hesitantly. She separated herself from the weirwood and stood before him with her hands by her sides, holding onto her wool skirt. Her breath caught in her chest, her throat tightened, and her legs wobbled as she stood before him. She licked her lips as he took one step towards her.

His right arm reached around her waist and drew her to him. His left hand fell against her cheek and held her face still as he tipped his head and drew in a deep breath. He closed his eyes as he pressed his lips against hers, moving his hand up into her hair.

A soft moan escaped her lips as she kissed him back. His lips tasted of honey and sweet wine, but she knew she was imagining it. Soft and tender, his mouth gently sucked on her lower lip before it moved to her upper lip. Her hands slowly slid up his arms, rising cautiously against his tensed muscles. One of her hands made its way to his cheek, which she stroked with her fingertips. She wasn't ready to let him go when he released her from his kiss.

Opening her eyes, she locked into his gaze. They both stared in silence as they each fought to catch their breaths. "Your lips are as sweet as summerwine," he whispered. "Perhaps sweeter... for they have surely intoxicated me."

She stared at him in silence with her lips parted and trembling. As he released her, she tensed and held onto his face. "Jory," she whispered to him. Her heart raced and she was sure he could hear it through her chest.

"My lady…" he replied.

"Don't stop," she said in a quiet voice. "Please… don't stop kissing me." She knew she was making a mistake. But she didn't care at this point. She was in love with him.

"As you wish," he said with a smile. He lifted her up with his hands on her waist and slammed her against the side of the weirwood, forcing a gasp from her lips. His lips found hers again but this time, he was less than gentle with her. He pressed his body against her as his mouth crushed hers. His hands ran from her face, down her neck, and along the sides of her body.

Lyvia gasped for air in between kisses. Her hands found his heart and felt it throbbing against her palms, which made her smile. But as his lips traveled from her lips to her jaw and down to her neck, the euphoria wore off and she began to picture him in King's Landing. "God, Jory," she stroked his hair with a whisper. "I can't do this…" Her hands moved to his shoulders, where she pushed him away.

Jory looked confused as he stared at her teary eyes. "I don't understand," he said. "I thought you wanted me to kiss you…"

"I do… I did… Jory, please, I'm sorry. I just… I just didn't want you to believe that this changed how I feel about you."

His lips pressed together into a straight line as he sighed. "I am a fool for believing that this was real," he muttered.

"Jory, please don't be angry with me," she pleaded.

He shook his head. "I'm angry with myself," he said as walked out of the godswood.

Lyvia sank down against the weirwood and sobbed into her hands. She felt the rain of the red leaves upon her as a strong gust of wind rushed through the godswood. Looking up at its face, she gasped at the sight of it. The eyes of the tree were tearing red sap. "It's a sign," she whispered as she stood up.

She ran back into the Great Keep, searching for the one door that she needed to find. Unfortunately, all of the doors looked alike and she soon became lost. But as she was about to lose hope, she caught Robb in the hallway.

He looked less than pleased with her, so she was sure he had spoken with Jory. "What do _you_ want?"

"Tell me where he is?" she asked.  
"Haven't you broken his heart enough already? Did you want to dance on it while it's still beating on the ground? His blue eyes turned cold.

"Robb, please… just tell me where he is."

He frowned and narrowed his eyes at her. "What did you want with him?"

"It's private…" she sighed. "Are you going to tell me where he is or not?"

He shook his head. "I don't want to see him get hurt."

"I know," she replied. "I don't want to hurt him… I just want to see him."

"He's leaving for King's Landing tomorrow… he told you he loved you… Do you even love him?"

"Robb… the night's not getting any younger. And I want to see him before he goes."

"You can see him off in the morning with the rest of us," he replied sternly. He looked as though he was already filling into Lord Stark's shoes as Warden of the North and the Lord of Winterfell.

"Please, Robb. Please?" She fell to her knees. "I promise not to hurt him. But I need to see him tonight." Looking up at his face, she noticed how soft it became as he stared down at her.

"You must be quiet… and you can't tell him I told you where he is," he said as he led her down a corridor to a closed door.

Lyvia nodded. She gave him a peck on the cheek and said, "Thank you."

Robb blushed slightly on his cheeks and walked away.

With a deep breath, she gripped the door handle and pushed the door slowly. Her head poked in through the crack but all she could see was the dim outline of a bed in the far corner of the room. Only a few dying candles lit the room. She clenched her jaw as she pushed the door open a little more and tiptoed inside the room before closing it behind her. She unzipped her boots and removed them, leaving them by the door as she padded barefoot on the cool stone floor.

Jory wasn't much of a snorer, but he breathed heavily and snorted on occasion. His back was to her as she tiptoed towards him, his body heaving with each breath. With a sigh, he turned over with his eyes open. He stared at her for a second without blinking, without reacting. He almost looked as if he was dazed.

As she stood before him, his eyes widened and he sat up in bed. Without a word, she unfastened her cloak and removed it from her shoulders, allowing it to pool at her bare feet in a puddle of black wool.

"What are you doing in here?" he asked her, rubbing his eyes. "Have you come to kick me now?"

Lyvia remained silent as she untied the bow of her dress. Her fingers loosened the laces and soon, her dress also fell around her feet. She stepped out of her dress and slowly approached him. Her eyes stared into his as she fell to her knees beside him.

"Lyvia… I am not going to dishonor you," he said with a shake of his head. He held his blanket over his lap tightly.

"Stop!" she said covering his mouth with her fingers. "This changes nothing… I just wanted to be with you on your last night in Winterfell… because I may never see you again. We may never meet again after tonight."

"You're very pessimistic," he said with a laugh. "I'll be in King's Landing… I'm not going across the Narrow Sea."

"Just shut up and move over," she said with a sigh. She still wore her shift, which worked quite well for her as a nightgown. She sat down on the bed beside him and slid under his woolen blankets. Resting her head on his bare chest, she let out a deep sigh. It was obvious how fast and loud his heart beat against her ear.

"I wish this was a clear sign of how you feel for me," he whispered.

"Jory… please don't try to understand this… I just needed to be with you tonight. I may never see you again," she nuzzled against him. "I'm frightened."

"Of what?" he asked in a whisper as he stroked her hair.

"Of this… what we could have… and losing it all in the blink of an eye…" she groaned. "Poor choice of words…"

"Who says you'll lose it? My love will never die, Lyvia. Like a setting sun, it may dip below the horizon, but it's still there. And the moon is just another aspect of my love…"

"I'm glad I got to meet you and know you a little, Jory," she said.

"You sound as though you're sure I'm not coming back," he laughed.

Lyvia ran her hand against his stomach, noting the scars and warwounds from his various battles. "My sweet knight," she whispered as his hand joined hers and interlocked their fingers. Her eyes drooped as his heart slowed to a natural pace.

"Sweet dreams, my love," he whispered, kissing her on the forehead as she drifted off to sleep with a loud snore.


	18. Chapter 18

Lyvia opened her eyes to find herself tangled up in the sheets. Her legs were intertwined with Jory's and somehow, her shift was gone. She sat up and looked on the floor to find her undergarment in a puddle of cotton beside her blue dress and cloak. With a frown, she twisted her head and rolled her shoulders to relax her stiff muscles.

Jory still slept soundly with his face away from her. His arm wrapped around her waist and his free hand lay upon his chest as it rose and fell with each breath.

She carefully slipped out of the bed and fell onto the floor with a squeak. The stone floor was cold. As she lifted her head to glance up at Jory, she breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't wake him. Tiptoeing across the floor, she picked up her cotton shift and slid it on over her chilled body. Guilt filled her as she picked up her dress and cloak. Her hands gathered up her boots and she slowly opened the door and snuck out into the hallway.

Padding down the hallway, she managed to avoid being seen by anyone until she almost reached her own door when Robb entered the corridor. "Damnit," she muttered under her breath.

"What are you doing out so early?" he asked with a smirk on his lips.

"I might ask you the same," she replied, holding her clothes in her hands. Her cheeks burned and she knew she looked silly standing in the middle of the hallway in her undergarment.

Robb looked away. "I hope you had a lovely evening with Jory," he said.

Lyvia nodded. "I believe we did, not that it's any of your concern," she replied.

"He's like an uncle to me… he's family… he's blood. He is my concern," Robb said stiffly.

"I wouldn't do anything to hurt him, Robb," she said.

Robb glanced over towards her and stared into her eyes. "See that you don't," he said, walking away from her.

Lyvia pushed open her door to find Mandy sleeping in her bed. "What are you doing here?" she said, slamming her door shut.

"I was worried about you… I hadn't seen you all night. You know Jory was asking about you. Did you like his present?"

"How did you know about that?"

Mandy shrugged. "He mentioned it during dinner… he said he was going to have Robb take you. You're so lucky! You have a really handsome guy like Jory…" she pouted. "I was hoping to get a little smile or something from Sandor… but instead, all I get is this…" She held up a small dull rag in her hand, which she pulled out from her bosom.

"What is that?" Lyvia asked. "Or do I not want to know?"

Mandy giggled and squealed. "He blew his nose with it… and he accidentally dropped it." She clutched it tightly to her chest with an inane grin. "It's mine!"

"Gross," Lyvia commented as she pulled on her dress.

"Why were you outside in your undergarment?" Mandy asked coolly.

"It's nothing…" Lyvia said. She didn't want to mention the night she had with Jory or else the rest of the castle would know.

Mandy pouted. "I think you're not telling me on purpose."

"I'd tell you if there was something to tell," Lyvia replied, tugging on the laces and tying her bow. "Did you eat breakfast?"

She shook her head. "I was waiting for you…"

Lyvia looked out her window and down into the courtyard. "Might want to go down now, before the rest of them get up."

"I wish we could go to King's Landing," she frowned. "It's not fair that we have to stay here."

"Mandy, we have to find Kate," Lyvia said sternly.

"I know, I know," Mandy rolled her eyes. "I bet she's not even missing at all. I bet she's hiding from us."

"Well, she better unhide soon. I want to go home," Lyvia sighed and she slung her cloak over her shoulders.

"Yes… go home and go to school. Yay, me!" Mandy sighed heavily. "What do you have to go home to?"

Lyvia shrugged. "Throne Con? Home? My friends?"

Mandy smirked. "No man?"

Lyvia glared at Mandy. "I'm hungry," she said, changing the subject. She pulled open the door and walked out without another word to her.

"What did I say?" Mandy called after her as she followed Lyvia down the stairs into the Great Hall.

Lyvia hurried towards the dining table and sat down beside Arya, Sansa, and Jeyne Poole. Scanning the rest of the table, she noticed that Lady Stark was absent, probably still sitting with Bran, and Jon Snow was also missing. Ser Rodrik sat with a sullen expression as Theon Greyjoy and Robb joked about Lord Tyrion sleeping in the kennels. "Are you all packed and ready to go?" Lyvia asked Arya, who played with her food.

She nodded. "All packed," she replied with a half-smile. "I really wish you'd come."

"I'm sorry I can't be there with you. But we can write to each other," Lyvia said as she placed some meat on her plate.

Arya nodded with a disappointed expression. "Where's Jory?"

Robb glared across the table at Lyvia, as did Ser Rodrik.

Lyvia lowered her eyes and focused on her food. "I don't know, my lady," she said to Arya. She poured herself a cup of iced milk and cut into her meat.

"Jory!" Arya cried as footsteps entered the hall.

Lyvia didn't look up at him, but continued to saw her meat with her knife, grating the blade against her plate loudly to distract herself. She wanted to glance up to see Jory's face, but she knew it would probably be a look of disappointment or anger, since she snuck out of his room early before he was awake and didn't bother to say goodbye to him.

"Good morning, my lady," he said to Arya as he took a seat beside his uncle. "We have the men ready to leave as soon as the King and his family are prepared."

"And Lord Stark?"

"His things are already packed and ready, uncle," he said, glancing at Lyvia quickly before returning his attention to his uncle.

"Ensure you have taken care of your business before you ride out," Ser Rodrik said, rising from his seat. He gave a quick look to Lyvia before turning and walking out of the hall.

Robb nudged Theon Greyjoy with some excuse about checking on Bran as Sansa nudged Jeyne into standing up from her seat.

"Arya, Septa Mordane wants to inspect your trunk before they bring it down," Sansa said, pushing her sister out of her seat.

"But it's already packed!"

"Are your clothes folded properly?" Sansa asked.

Arya pouted. "What does it matter? It'll get all messed up again anyway!" She stood up and ran out of the hall ahead of them.

"Mandy, would you like to come with us?" Sansa asked Mandy, who was in the middle of chewing a heel of bread.

Mandy shook her head. "I'm still eating," she said.

"But, there's something we'd like to show you," Sansa said as Jeyne Poole agreed with her.

Mandy pouted and stood reluctantly as Sansa hooked her arm and led her out of the hall.

Lyvia sighed. "I think there's a conspiracy," she muttered as Jory sat silently at the table.

He twirled his fork in his fingers as his other hand tapped the wood by his plate. "You were gone this morning," he said without looking at her.

"I know," she said in a low voice.

"You didn't even say goodbye," he added.

She nodded. "I was trying to ease the awkwardness," she replied.

"It didn't work, did it?" He looked up at her.

She shook her head. "No, it didn't." she said. Taking a deep breath, she locked into his gaze. "What happened last night?"

"You came to me in my room… you undressed… and we laid in the bed together until you left this morning," he replied, tapping the table with the butt of his fork.

"I awoke with nothing on," her gaze became icy. "I'm pretty sure I came to you in your bed with my shift on."

He chuckled as if everything she said was a joke. "I didn't remove it from you, if that's what you're implying." He stood up from his seat. "I told you that I would not dishonor you… and I didn't." He strode out of the hall without another word as the Queen and her two youngest children entered. "Your Grace," he said as he passed them at the door.

Lyvia stood from her seat and headed to the entrance as the Queen gracefully glided into the hall. Behind her, her twin brother followed with a sly grin on his lips.

"I hope I am not intruding," the Queen said as her children ran to the dining table and sat down.

Lyvia shook her head as she curtseyed. "No, your grace," she said. "I was just leaving."

"I hope you're not leaving on my account… the social graces have seemed to have left these northerners ever since the Starks' young boy fell."

"Perhaps Lady Stark is a little preoccupied with the health of her son… I'm sure you understand how horrifying this must be for her. It's not so easy to accept such things happen to little children."

"Such things…? Children fall all the time. This boy had no business climbing the broken tower and now he suffers the consequences," the Queen replied.

"Bran never falls," Lyvia said. "He's surefooted and he knows Winterfell like the back of his hand… The only way he could have fallen from the broken tower is if he had assistance…"

"What are you implying?" the Queen's face turned a light shade of pink.

Lyvia shook her head. "I beg your pardon, your grace. I am just saying that I don't think it was an accident. I'm sure he will wake soon and we will all know what happened." With a quick curtsey, she said, "If you will excuse me, your grace."

The Queen's nostrils flared and she turned away to join her children at the dining table.

Lyvia turned away with a smirk on her lips, but her gut told her that confronting Cersei may have been a mistake. She shook her head as she walked out into the courtyard. Everyone was busy packing up wagons and readying the horses for the long trip. As she strolled down towards the stables and the smith, she caught sight of Jon Snow with Needle. She joined him and brushed her hand on his back, startling him. "You'll have to get used to things sneaking up on you," she said with a smile.

Jon had his father's eyes and hair, but there was something about him that was different from the other Stark children. He had a certain wildness about him that he hid well beneath the calm surface. "You didn't sneak up on me," he said. "I was worried that I would stab you with the sword."

"Is that the sword for Arya?" she asked, taking a good look at the thin blade in his hand.

He nodded with a perplexed expression. "Who told you it was for Arya?"

"I'm pretty sure it's not for Sansa," she replied with a laugh.

Jon shook his head. "No, it's not for her… I thought Arya would like it. And she could practice and take care of herself in King's Landing."

"You see your aunt in her, don't you?" she asked.

"I never knew my aunt… she was already dead before I even had any memories," he said with a frown.

"I'm sorry," Lyvia said. "No matter what anyone says, you are a Stark. Lord Stark is your father… there's Stark blood in you. Never forget that."

Jon shook his head. "I'm just the bastard son," he replied. "But on the Wall, I could be a brother… I could bring honor to my father. I could belong somewhere."

"You belong here," she said. "But if you must go, make sure you stay warm. And never forget who you are and where you came from." She walked away, wondering if she actually helped him or made him more confused. With a sigh, she entered the godswood, but out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Jaime Lannister at the smith with Jon.

She knelt down by the weirwood and lowered her head.

"Praying to the old gods or new?" Jaime Lannister asked from the entrance.

"Neither," she replied. "I'm praying to my own God." She stood up and turned to face him.

"Does your God have a name?" he asked.

She shrugged. "Does it matter?" She walked passed him as she tried to exit the godswood, but he caught her by the arm.

"You upset the Queen, my lady," he said in a mocking tone.

"And you care very deeply for the Queen, don't you?" Lyvia snapped as she snatched her arm away from his grip.

"I care about my sister as any brother would," he replied. "I wouldn't let her come to harm if it's in my power… and I will ensure she is not upset again."

"I am not afraid of you," she said as he laughed.

"You shouldn't be afraid of me…" he replied. "But you should be afraid of what I'm capable of."

"Is that a threat?"

He shook his head. "It's just a mere fact." With those words, he left her at the entrance of the godswood.

Lyvia prayed that her earlier conversation with the Queen would not adversely affect the storyline. She quickly made her way up to her room and remained there until most of the King's caravan had left the courtyard through the east gate. Staring down from her window, she saw Lord Stark on his horse with Jory beside him. With a sigh, she rushed down the steps to the courtyard. Breathless and gasping, she called out to him. "Jory!"

Jory turned towards Lord Stark, who gave him a quick nod before he rode out of the gate. He dismounted as the remaining Starks stood and watched him walk to Lyvia. He removed his gloves and stopped before he reached her.

Lyvia rushed into his arms and hugged him. "Be careful!" she whispered as she sobbed against his shoulder. She dropped to her feet and stared up into his eyes.

"I will still love you," he said, grazing his hand against her cheek.

She kissed his palm and moved it to her breast, where she held it against her heart. "You will always be my sweet knight, Jory."

He took in a deep breath and nodded but his eyes looked disappointed.

She reached up and smoothed his hair from his face. With tears in her eyes, she pressed her lips against his for one last kiss. "Make sure you keep an eye on Arya around the Trident," she whispered. "She and Sansa will need you."

He gave her a tight embrace and kissed her hair. With a nod, he mounted his horse and rode out of the gate to catch up to Lord Stark and the King's party.

Theon laughed at the sappy display as he walked away with Ser Rodrik. Robb, however, held her in a tight embrace to comfort her.

"He'll be fine," he said. "He's a good fighter. He has good men with him."

Lyvia nodded but she couldn't help but sob uncontrollably.


	19. Chapter 19

Lyvia stood on the battlement, staring out at the Kingsroad. Days passed and she hadn't the strength to return to the godswood to pray for Jory again. Staring out at the road as it wound its way around the distant hills, she wondered where he was. Her heart sank as she saw the guards riding back from their patrols.

"He's fine," Robb Stark said.

Lyvia nodded.

"I'm talking about Bran," he commented as he joined her.

Lyvia lowered her eyes. "How is Lady Stark?"

"The same… I can't convince her to get any rest. She doesn't want to miss the moment he wakes up," Robb said with a sigh.

"I could bring her some food from the kitchen," Lyvia turned away from him.

"He'll be back soon," he said after her.

Lyvia stopped.

"He loves you… he'll be back for you. You'll see."

She had to fight to keep her tears from spilling from her eyes. All she could do was nod at Robb, who seemed so confident and assured. "I know he loves me," she said without turning.

"Do you love him?"

Lyvia didn't have to think about her answer, but she had to be careful with whom she shared this information. She loved Jory with all of her heart but it would not stop his death. Nothing would prevent the events to come unless she changed things… but she didn't want to pull on the one thread that would unravel the entire story. She turned her head towards Robb and looked him in the eye. "He means the world to me," she said.

"That doesn't answer my question," he laughed. "Either you do or you don't."

She nodded without a word and turned back to head down to the kitchen.

"Then, why didn't you tell him so?" Robb asked loudly.

Lyvia pretended to not hear him as she went down the steps towards the kitchen. She gathered a tray of food for Lady Stark and crossed the courtyard towards the keep. Climbing the steps, she ran into a breathless Mandy, who appeared out of nowhere.

"Oh God!" she cried.

"What is it?" Lyvia asked, keeping the tray out of Mandy's reach.

"I'm starving!" the girl said jumping up to reach for the tray.

"Go to the kitchen then! This is for Lady Stark."

"How long are we going to stay here?" she asked.

"Until we find Kate," Lyvia said.

"Even if we do find her, how are we going home?" Her voice became a whine.

Lyvia shrugged. "I don't know. But since Kate is the one that's missing and probably the best person to ask about how we got here… She couldn't have gotten too far, right?"

"I don't know… Are you sure this is really Westeros?"

Lyvia shook her head and continued down the corridor to Bran's room. She pushed the door open and stepped inside with saddened eyes. "Lady Stark," she said in a low voice.

Lady Stark looked dreadful. The bags beneath her eyes seemed heavier and thicker and her skin seemed sallower than Lyvia remembered. She looked worn and tired, but she pressed on, sitting beside her son's bed without a sound. She looked desperate.

"I've brought you some food," Lyvia said.

"Thank you, but I'm not hungry," Lady Stark said without looking at her.

"I can sit with Bran and you can go rest," she offered.

"No… he needs me. I have to be here with him in case…" Lady Stark stayed strong even though her face looked as though it would burst into tears at any moment. "Just in case… he needs me."

Lyvia placed an apple in Lady Stark's hands. "Please eat something… anything. Bran needs you to be strong."

Lady Stark stared at the apple in her hands. For a moment, she looked as though she would bite into it but instead, she threw it against the wall and covered her face as she cried.

Lyvia felt awful for Lady Stark. She instinctively rushed to her side and held her in her arms as she sobbed for her son and her husband and her daughters. "Everything will be fine," Lyvia whispered, even though she knew it wouldn't. She had to give Lady Stark a glimmer of hope, or else she would probably not continue to fight for her family.

"Mother… I heard a noise," Robb rushed into the room. He stopped in the doorway with widened eyes as he stared at Lyvia holding his mother in a tight embrace as she cried.

"Could you take your mother to her room? She needs some rest…" Lyvia said.

"No! I can't leave him," she cried.

"Mother… Bran needs you to get your rest. Lyvia and I will stay here with him."

Lyvia stared up into Robb's face. She nodded in agreement. "Yes… we'll look out for him, Lady Stark. Let Robb take you to your room."

Lady Stark sobbed.

"Please, mother," Robb said, placing his arm around her. "Lyvia will be here while I take you to your room to rest. Just for a few hours and you can come back."

When Robb returned from escorting his mother to her room, he found Lyvia sitting beside Bran with her hand on his. "I don't know if she'll get any sleep, but at least I got her out of here," he said, opening the shutters for the windows.

Outside, Lyvia could hear the wolves howling a sad song. She lowered her eyes to Bran and stroked his hand delicately. "Poor thing," she said.

"He's strong," Robb commented as he crossed his arms. "He'll be fine." His statement seemed confident, but when Lyvia lifted her eyes to look at his face, he looked less than positive as his jaw clenched and his mouth crooked oddly to one side. "He has to be." Robb's blue eyes stared intently at his little brother's face.

Lyvia nodded. "He'll be fine… it'll just take time."

"You really should have gone with Jory," he blurted.

"I don't want to talk about it," she said sharply.

"He said you've been married before…"

"What else did he tell you?" Lyvia's eyes widened at him.

"He's like an uncle… or an older brother to me. He tells me things that bother him… and I listen. He said you're not from Westeros… maybe not from this world, as he put it. But he's fallen in love with you. You need to tell him that you love him… he needs to know."

"What good will it do?" she asked. "He'll still be in King's Landing… and he…" Lyvia stopped herself before she could say something she shouldn't. "There's no use in telling him now."

"You'd make him the happiest man in the Westeros," Robb said. "Doesn't that count for something?"

"It doesn't matter…" she shook her head as she squeezed Bran's hand.

"Is your husband dead?"

She shook her head. "No. He's not… and he's not my husband anymore… not that it matters anyway. I don't have a husband anymore." She didn't look up at him.

"Then, I don't see the problem…"

"Robb, I don't want to talk about this anymore. Is that all right with you?"

Robb sighed and sat across from her on Bran's other side. He stared at her intently almost like a very patient cat that's awaiting its dinner.

"What?" Lyvia finally said, irritated.

He shrugged.

"You are a very irritating man, Robb Stark. And if I hadn't promised your mother that I would stay in here with Bran, I would leave…"

"To go to the godswood?" he asked with a smirk.

"I don't think the old gods hear my prayers anymore," she said, sinking into her seat. "Jory still left… your father, too."

"Why wouldn't he leave? He's the Hand of the King, now. He has to be in King's Landing."

Lyvia nodded. "But there are dangers lurking in King's Landing… He can't trust many… and he shouldn't…" She bit her lip as she thought of Jory again. "He needs to be very careful about what he does and who he talks to… it's a matter of life and death." She sighed as Robb straightened up and changed his expression.

He looked worried. "What are you saying? Are you saying that my father is in danger?"

She lowered her eyes. "Not right now, perhaps not. But in time… as he begins digging into things he shouldn't… he'll gain the attention of people… bad people."

"I should warn him," Robb said, rising to his feet.

"And tell him what? I have a feeling that he's in danger? He won't believe you and he'll probably have me locked up for even suggesting it… No, Robb… please. You need to keep strong and keep alert here in Winterfell. Keep your mother and your brothers safe."

Robb began to pace. "I feel as though my hands are tied."

"You're needed here," she said. "Your father is safe... he has fifty men and he has Jory." Tears started to well in her eyes again as she thought of him. She wiped her eyes with her fingers and turned her attention back to Bran. Her hand gently stroked his as she stared at the sleeping little boy. With a sigh, she squeezed his hand, but her mind raced with thoughts of Jory and Jory and Jaime Lannister.

"I hope he wakes up soon," Robb said, taking his brother's other hand in his.

"He will," Lyvia said. She paused for a moment to think about it and nodded. "He will wake soon."

"You sound so sure of yourself," Robb said with a half-grin. He almost looked happy at the news, but looked torn from learning such things. "How can you be so sure?"

"I just have a feeling that he'll be fine," she said. "He will wake soon. He will not have the use of his legs, but he will be awake."

"Then, we'll know what happened to him," Robb stated confidently. "We'll know who tried to murder my brother."

Lyvia's eyes saddened as she looked back towards Bran. She gently stroked the boy's hair and avoided Robb's gaze.

"You know who did this, don't you?" Robb asked.

Lyvia shook her head and lied, "No, my lord, I don't." She quickly glanced at Robb's narrowed eyes and shrank down in her seat.

Lady Stark returned a few hours later, looking a little better, though she still looked worn and tired. She took her seat by Bran's bed and returned to her praying and worrying as Robb and Lyvia left her.

"I hope she'll be all right," Lyvia said to Robb as they walked down the corridor.

He nodded. "I'm sure she'll survive," he said as they passed Maester Luwin.

"Is your mother doing well, Robb?" Maester Luwin asked him.

Robb nodded as Maester Luwin entered Bran's room. He turned to follow him a moment later, leaving Lyvia in the hallway.

Lyvia strolled down into the courtyard and headed towards the godswood. She stopped however, when a tall gaunt man in black bumped into her and she caught his pale eyes. Her heart stopped as she stared at him. _The assassin_, she thought as he turned and slowly strode into the keep. She couldn't breathe, but she knew she had to do something. _Summer! Get Summer!_ Lyvia rushed towards the kennel and unchained Bran's direwolf as well as Grey Wind. "Go, Summer! Go protect Bran!" she whispered, leading him towards the Great Keep. She stopped when she smelled smoke.

She turned to see Grey Wind follow Robb, who had run out from the keep. Her eyes followed him towards a fire, which burned brightly in the distance. With a breath, she turned towards the Great Keep and moved as quickly as her feet could carry her. When she reached Bran's room, the assailant was already on the floor, his throat torn out. Summer was on Bran's bed with his muzzle all red from the assassin's blood. Lady Stark was bleeding from her hands and shaking.

"Lady Stark!" Lyvia cried as she rushed to Lady Stark's side.

"He was here to kill Bran," Lady Stark muttered.


	20. Chapter 20

"Where do you think they are now?" Mandy asked as she stood beside Lyvia on the battlement that overlooked the Kingsroad.

Lyvia shrugged. "It's been a few weeks… they must be around the Trident by now," she sighed heavily.

"And do you think staring out at the road is going to bring him back?" she asked. Mandy sighed and leaned against the stone wall with a pout. "I don't know why we couldn't go down to King's Landing with Sandor. It's better than sitting around up here. Even in the television series, this part was one of the most boring – aside from the scenes at the Wall." She grumbled and fussed.

"We've got to find Kate," Lyvia said with a frown.

"But we haven't even tried to go out to look for her… we're just sitting here, waiting… bored... this is boring!" Mandy cried.

"I know… I'm afraid to go out now… now that I know Jory's not lurking around and stalking me. If something happens, I'd have to fend for myself… and these people aren't shy about splitting you open if they don't like you."

"Maybe Robb will follow you in Jory's place?" Mandy giggled.

Lyvia glared at her for a second before rolling her eyes. "I don't think he'd have the time to do that… seeing that he's the Lord of Winterfell for the time being."

"And soon, he'll be King of the North…" Mandy mentioned in a low voice.

"But he doesn't know that… " Lyvia shook her head.

"Oh… I wish I'm there when he gets the news when he learns of his dad's death… he looked like he needed a hug…" Mandy said with a large sigh. "Why didn't you warn Jory?"

"How would I explain it?" Lyvia asked. "Hey, Jory, make sure you're not anywhere near that brothel with Lord Stark because Jaime Lannister's going to skewer your eyeball out? Yes... it's just a gut feeling I have."

Mandy shrugged. "You could have gone with him and helped him stay clear of it…"

"I would have been a bigger distraction and it might make him die faster… " Lyvia frowned.

"If he's going to die anyway, wouldn't you want him to know that you love him? Wouldn't he be happier knowing, even if he dies?"

Lyvia lowered her eyes and thought for a moment. "I suppose."

"Then, can we go to King's Landing?" Mandy bounced up excitedly with a hopeful expression.

"Someone should stay here in case they find Kate," Lyvia said.

Mandy's face fell into a frown. "If I stay alone, I may accidentally slip and say something I shouldn't."

Lyvia narrowed her eyes at her. "You're such a conniving little…"

Mandy smiled proudly. "I know…" She glanced down into the courtyard. "They're having their meeting," she said as Theon Greyjoy and Robb walked into the godswood.

Lyvia joined her by the wall overlooking the courtyard. Her eyes followed Lady Stark as she quickly shuffled before them, glancing behind her warily. Ser Rodrik and Maester Luwin came a few minutes behind her.

"Should we go down and listen in?" Mandy asked cheerfully.

"We should be quiet about it," Lyvia said.

Mandy gave her a blank expression. "Of course!" she said loudly in her high-pitched squeal. She followed Lyvia down the steps to the courtyard, where they lightly padded into the godswood, hiding behind the other trees and tiptoeing in the shadows until they were close enough to listen to the conversation.

"I don't think Bran fell from that tower...I think he was thrown." Lady Stark said as the others stand in stunned silence.

"The boy was always sure-footed before." Maester Luwin commented.

"Someone tried to kill him twice. Why? Why murder an innocent child, unless he saw something he wasn't supposed to see." Lady Stark thought aloud.

Mandy pressed into Lyvia as she craned her neck around the trunk of a nearby ironwood. "Hold still," she whispered to Lyvia as Lyvia held her breath. The girl was almost climbing over her to get into the gossip.

"Saw what, my lady?" Theon Greyjoy asked curiously. For the first time, his cocky smile was gone from his face.

"I do not know, but I'd stake my life the Lannisters are involved. We already have reason to suspect their loyalty to the crown," Lady Stark said.

"Have you noticed the dagger the killer used? It's too fine a weapon for such a man. The blade is Valyrian steel, the handle dragonbone. Someone gave it to him." Ser Rodrik eyed the weapon in his hands.

"They come into our home and try to murder my brother. If it's war they want…" Robb began.

"If it comes to that, you know I'll stand beside you," Theon interrupted proudly.

"What? Is there going to be a battle in the godswood? Too easily words of war become acts of war," Maester Luwin said. "We don't know the truth yet. Lord Stark must be told of this."

"I do not trust a raven to carry these words." Lady Stark shook her head.

"I'll ride to Kings Landing." Robb volunteered with a spark in his eyes.

"No. There must always be a Stark in Winterfell. I will go there myself." Lady Stark stated.

"Mother, you can't."

"I must."

"I'll send for a squad of guardsmen to escort you," Ser Rodrik said.

"A large party attracts unwanted attention. I don't want the Lannisters to know I'm coming." She shook her head.

"Let me accompany you, at least." Ser replied. "The King's Road can be a dangerous place for a woman." Lady Stark glanced at Maester Luwin and conceded with a nod.

"Well what about Bran?" Robb asked.

"I have prayed to the Seven for more than a month. His life is in their hands now."

With those words, Mandy lost her balance and tripped out of the shadows, causing Ser Rodrik, Robb, and Theon to all turn with their swords drawn.

Lady Stark breathed a sigh of exasperation and placed her hands on her hips. "Come out, Lyvia," she said. "Help your friend up."

Lyvia poked her head from around the trunk of the ironwood and assisted Mandy in rising to her feet as the men sheathed their swords.

"Can we come too?" Mandy blurted.

Lady Stark and Ser Rodrik exchanged glances. "It would be a rough ride," she said. "Days on end of constant riding. Do you think you'd be able to do that?"

Mandy thought for a moment and then shook her head. "But Lyvia wants to go," she added.

"I don't think it's a good idea," Ser Rodrik grunts. "We don't want the Lannisters to see us coming, my lady." He turned to Lady Stark.

Lyvia stepped forward. "Lady Stark, I would like to accompany you, if I may. There is some unfinished business I have… and it's very important to me."

"If you'd like to write it in a letter, I can hand-deliver it to my nephew personally," Ser Rodrik said gruffly.

"If it pleases you, Ser Rodrik, I'd rather speak to him personally," Lyvia said. She turned back to Lady Stark. "I must go with you, my lady."

"The girl stays here," Lady Stark said with a sharp eye on Mandy. "I cannot have her running around King's Landing, chasing the Hound."

"Oh! The Hound! Can I come?" Mandy wasn't really paying much attention to the conversation.

"You stay here, Mandy. Keep an eye out for Kate… and help Robb look after Bran and Rickon."

Mandy pouted. "That's the boring part…"

"Shut up and do it!" Lyvia barked at her.

"Maybe we can go across the Narrow Sea when you get back?" Mandy said aloud.

Ser Rodrik tightened his face into a scowl. "The girl's gone mad," he said.

Maester Luwin stared at the girl in awe. "Perhaps, she needs her rest," he suggested.

"Mandy can help Robb look after the boys," Lyvia said, giving Mandy a glare. "Isn't that right?"

Mandy pouted some more and nodded with a roll of her eyes.

"And she'll keep to herself, right?" Lyvia added.

Mandy sighed and nodded. "Sure." Her eyes brightened suddenly when she blurted, "At least take your camera with you and take pictures of King's Landing for me."

Lyvia's heart stopped. Theon and Robb exchanged glances as Lady Stark and Ser Rodrik gave the girl a strange expression. Maester Luwin laughed at Mandy.

"The girl's touched," he said.

Mandy's eyes darted around at the many blank expressions. "I'm not crazy," she said. "She should take pictures! If I can't see it for myself, I'd want to see it in pictures!"

Lyvia sighed and grasped Mandy by the wrist. "Stop talking nonsense," she whispered.

Mandy frowned. "It's not nonsense! And if you really cared about Jory, you'd tell him he was going to die in King's Landing!" She snatched her hand away from Lyvia's grip and ran away from them.

"Mandy!" Lyvia called after her. Her face turned red as she spun around to face the group. She had no words to explain Mandy's outburst and so she tried to laugh it off.

"Jory's going to die?" Robb asked, taking a step towards her.

"Robb…"

"He's not going to die. He's a skilled fighter… a good swordsman. A good man," Ser Rodrik said.

"He is a good man," Lyvia said. But in the back of her mind, she was crying. _But Jaime Lannister is better._ "Regardless, I need to go to King's Landing with Lady Stark."

Ser Rodrik and Lady Stark exchanged glances.

"Are you going to save him?" Robb asked.

"I don't know what I can do," Lyvia replied.

"How do you know he's going to die?" Maester Luwin asked curiously. "Such knowledge is not usually available… only a seer would be able to know the possible future."

"I'm not a seer," Lyvia said. "I just… I just have a gut feeling… we need to get to King's Landing soon." But as she stared at Lady Stark's expression, she realized that the whole reason Jaime attacked Jory and Lord Stark was because of his brother's abduction. She could stall their return from King's Landing somehow and so they would never meet Lord Tyrion. Or alternatively, she thought that perhaps, she could warn Lord Tyrion, herself, outside the inn. It seemed like such an insignificant encounter, anyway.

Lady Stark nodded. "Agreed."

"Aye, my lady," Ser Rodrik said to her before he turned to leave.

"I'll go see to Bran and Rickon," Robb said to his mother as Theon followed him out.

Lady Stark stared down at her bandaged hands. "I know it was you who let Bran's direwolf loose," Lady Stark said in a low voice.

"My lady…"

Lady Stark stopped her with a raised hand. "I don't know who you are or where you come from… you're certainly not from Westeros and it's clear that you do not belong here."

Lyvia lowered her eyes and nodded.

"But my family has come to enjoy your company… and I know Jory would like you to stay as would Arya. You've come to my son's aid…and I thank you. If you have information about this…things that've happened to Bran, I beg you to tell me. I need to know."

Lyvia lifted her eyes. "I wish I could offer more information, my lady," she said.

Lady Stark nodded. "Very well," she replied. "We'll be leaving as soon as we are ready…if you are not prepared by the time we are, we will leave without you. I have no time to waste." She strode out of the godswood quickly as Lyvia stared after her.

Lyvia touched the heart tree for a quick prayer before rushing up to her room. She grabbed her purse and slung it over her shoulder beneath her cloak. As she checked the contents of her purse, a knock came to her door. "Come in," she said, staring at the entrance.

Robb stepped inside with an old bag and closed the door behind him.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"I thought you could use this," he said, placing the bag on her lap.

"What is it?" She opened it and shoved her arm into the bag. Inside, she felt a tattered scabbard and a stiff handle. Grabbing the object, she pulled it out and stared down at an old dagger.

"It's old, but it'll still do the job," he said. "It's one of father's old daggers… unfortunately, he'd never gotten around to rewrapping the leather on the handle."

"It'll work," she said, unsheathing it to look at the blade. It was not polished and shiny, but it still looked sharp. She held it up awkwardly like a longsword, which made Robb laugh.

"It would probably work better if you held it like this," he changed the direction of the blade. "You're not going to poke holes in people. You use the edge to slash and the angle to rip into them." He moved her arm quickly out and down to show her. "Understand? This way, it's hidden like this and they won't know what's hit them until it's too late."

Lyvia nodded slightly with a sigh. "I don't like weapons… give me a gun any day and this would all be settled so quickly," she muttered.

"A gun?" Robb questioned her.

Lyvia shook her head. "It's nothing," she replied. She didn't know how she could ever explain a gun; let alone how a tiny bullet can kill someone. With a smile, she sheathed her dagger into its tattered scabbard and shoved it into her purse.

"And this," Robb gave her a small purse of coins. "In case you need to rest at an inn."

Lyvia pushed it back into his hands. "I can't, Robb."

"Yes, you can. You'll need it. Take it." He put the purse back into her hands and left the room.

She didn't find Mandy before leaving Winterfell with Lady Stark and Ser Rodrik but she assumed the girl was still pouting somewhere. "How long is it from here to King's Landing?" Lyvia asked Lady Stark as they rode out the gate.

"With a huge caravan as the King had, it would take less than a month, I'd say," Lady Stark replied as their horses cantered.

"Aye, but with just the three of us, it shouldn't take a bit more than a week. Perhaps, two if we run into trouble," Ser Rodrik offered.

"They've already been gone a few weeks," Lyvia said, thinking about how many days she'd missed Jory. "We should arrive a little after they do."

Lady Stark nodded. "And it won't be a moment too soon."


	21. Chapter 21

The ride to the capital is a long and arduous one. Lyvia hadn't realized how much riding she would have to endure in a dress and constantly wished that she had changed into her jeans before she had left Winterfell.

"What are you going to tell him?" Lady Stark asked Lyvia as she rode closely beside her. Her voice was low as Ser Rodrik led them down the Kingsroad.

Lyvia's cheeks burned brightly. "I don't know yet, my lady," she replied. "I want to tell him what's in my heart… but… it may distract him. But I suppose I want to tell him how important he is to me."

Lady Stark nodded. "Jory's a very special man to us," she said. "He is one of the family. And I've seen how he looks at you and he adores you. I hope you have enough respect for him to treat his love with kindness and dignity."

"I'd never hurt him," she replied. "Despite what people may think." She lowered her eyes as Ser Rodrik slowed his horse and rode on the other side of Lady Stark.

"We are close, my lady," he said.

Lady Stark nodded and draped a scarf over her head to cover her vibrant red hair, the distinct trait of a Tully. She had also loaned a scarf to Lyvia to wear to keep her identity hidden from the wary eyes of King's Landing. "They are certain to spot an outsider," she said, swinging the tail of her scarf over her shoulder. "And there are whisperers everywhere. We must be very cautious."

Lyvia wore the scarf over her head and covered her mouth and nose so that only her eyes were visible. She felt rather silly, however, since she was still wearing a thick wool cloak with fur trim. People will know she's not from King's Landing and they will guess immediately that she's from the north. "Lady Stark, perhaps, it would be best if I trail behind you," she said. "I know you want to see Lord Stark as quickly as possible and the fewer you have in your party, the less you have to worry."

Ser Rodrik looked grim as he glanced at Lady Stark.

"If you wish," Lady Stark said. "But be careful…"

Lyvia nodded and stopped her horse as the others continued into King's Landing. She watched Lady Stark disappear in through the gates. With a breath, she followed, knowing that Jory was possibly around the Red Keep or the Tower of the Hand. During this part of the series, she could only remember watching Lord Stark come to the brothel with Lord Baelish. Was Jory with him? She couldn't remember. Should she have gone with Lady Stark? She sighed and cursed for not thinking this through.

She pushed her horse, hoping to catch Lady Stark. She rushed in through the gates, passing the peasants and guards, finding Ser Rodrik as he rode behind Lady Stark. "Ser Rodrik!" she called.

"I thought you were going to find my nephew," he said in a low voice.

"I realized I wouldn't know where to find him…" she replied breathlessly. She pushed passed some of the mounted city guards in their worn armor as they escorted Lady Stark to the brothel. With a deep breath, she followed Lady Stark and Ser Rodrik as they dismounted from their horses and climbed the steps into a dimly lit salon.

Lyvia had never seen Lady Stark so angry as she stormed through the curtains and threw his letter back at him. She stood behind Ser Rodrik, meekly observing the interaction between the man they called "Littlefinger", who looked more like a mouse to her. _Maybe a rat_, she thought as she eyed the handsome man with his whores.

"And who is this?" he asked, giving Lyvia a casual, interested glance.

"This must be the girl," a bald man said from behind a beaded curtain. _The Spider._

"Lord Varys," Lady Stark was surprised.

"Yes," Lord Varys entered and stared at Lyvia closely. "I can see where she may be mistaken for the Stark girl. It's all in the eyes."

"How did you know, Lord Varys, that we were coming?" Lady Stark asked.

"Knowledge is my trade, my dear lady. Did you bring the dagger with you by any chance?"

Lyvia took a step away from the bald man and lowered her eyes from him. He wore moss-colored robes of silk and brocade, which looked awkward for such a plump man. But when she lifted her eyes, he had shifted to another part of the salon without a sound as he examined the dagger in the light by window.

They discussed the dagger and its owner in great length as Lyvia continued to tiptoe around Ser Rodrik and keep out of everyone's way. She paced nervously behind Ser Rodrik, not even aware that her actions were drawing their attention her way.

"Petyr," Lady Stark said. "Could you please make sure that Lord Stark brings his captain of the guards with him?"

Lord Baelish shook his head. "The things I do for you, Cat," he sighed. "I'll see what I can do. But there's no promise. We don't want to draw attention to ourselves." He gave Lyvia a curious glance and smiled wryly.

Lyvia watched him leave and turned back to Lady Stark. "Perhaps, it wasn't a good idea for me to come here," she said.

Ser Rodrik scoffed and grunted. "I could have saved you the trip and had you kept at Winterfell."

Lyvia lowered her eyes. "Ser Rodrik, I happen to love your nephew. I know it may be a little too late to tell him now, but I want him to know. I want to look into his eyes and tell him. And if it's too late, I will return to Winterfell and not interfere in his life." She took a deep breath. The waiting felt like days.

With every sound of a horse, she jumped up and rushed out to the balcony to look down onto the street, hoping to see him on his white destrier. She would return with a frown each time and sit on the pillows beside Lady Stark.

Finally, when some of the ladies of the pleasure house gathered outside with interest, Lady Stark rushed to the balcony to call her husband inside. Lyvia followed her out to look down onto the street. Her eyes found Lord Stark's white horse, tied beside Lord Baelish's horse. On the other side of them, another white horse stood with a tall man in leather armor beside it.

She stared intently at him, hoping he would turn his head up at her. Would he see her if she didn't speak a word to him? Her teeth grazed over her bottom lip as she watched him.

"Handsome one, isn't he?" one of the other girls commented with a wide grin.

Lyvia drew in a deep breath and sighed.

"I hear he hasn't had a woman before," another one giggled. "Such a shame… handsome one like that should be with as many girls as he can."

She wanted to call out to him or grab his attention in some way, but he seemed to be purposefully avoiding the girls on the balcony. Her mouth twisted into a frown as he continued to keep his back to her. _I should throw a rock at him_, she thought. Her temper started to flare as she looked around for something to toss down to him to get his attention. But as she found a pebble in a planter, she heard Lord Stark's voice call him in from the doorway below.

Lyvia popped her head over the edge of the wall and looked down onto the street. Her eyes locked with Jory's as he casually glanced up at the girls, eyeing them all one at a time with disinterest, until he caught her.

His lips turned from a disinterested line across his face into a toothless grin. His pace quickened when he entered.

Lyvia returned into the salon where Lord Stark and Lady Stark were in a deep conversation with Lord Baelish and Ser Rodrik. Her eyes watched the curtains and waited impatiently. She trembled with anticipation, her heart pounding so loudly in her ears that she couldn't hear them talking anymore.

Jory burst into the salon and looked around. "Uncle, Lady Stark," he said politely. His eyes found her. Without a word, he took two large steps towards Lyvia and grasped her by the arms. He didn't say a word to her, but his eyes watered and his lip trembled.

"Hello," she finally said to him.

"Come," Lord Baelish said to them. He led them into a private room and closed the door behind him, leaving them alone.

"Can't you say some-…" Lyvia started when he kissed her. She had missed his touch and his smell so much that the warmth of his skin against hers and the scent of his sweat and armor overloaded her senses. She snaked her arms around him and held him close as she returned his kiss with one of her own.

His hands removed the scarf around her hair and untied the cloak, dropping it down to the floor. "What are you doing here?" he finally asked.

She looked into his brown eyes with a smile. "I wanted to tell you something," she replied.

Jory furrowed his eyebrows and stared into her face. "And you came all this way?"

She nodded. "I thought it'd be more appropriate to say it to you personally than to send it by raven or with your uncle." She took a deep breath and slowly let it out as Jory's face morphed from pleased to concerned.

"What is it?"

"I love you," she replied, lowering her eyes. With a short breath, she lifted her lashes and looked into his face.

Jory tried to hide his tears, but she saw them well in his eyes. He pulled his gloves off his hands and threw them to the floor. "I love you," he repeated her words as he cupped her face. "I've waited so long to hear those words from you."

Her lips curved into a smile. "I know… I'm sorry." Her hand stroked his hair and ran down his cheek. "I've always loved you," she said. But as she stared into his face and his loving eyes, she couldn't help but stifle a sob that was churning in her soul. She squeezed her eyes together and lowered her head as the first of many sobs shook her shoulders.

"Lyvia…" Jory whispered. "My love…" His arms wrapped around her and pulled her into a tight embrace as she cried.

"Jory," she sobbed. "I don't want to lose you."

"You won't," he replied, kissing her hair. "I'm right here, my lady. I'm right here."

She sobbed louder. "Come back to Winterfell with me," she said, popping her tear-stained face up from his chest. "Please, Jory."

"I cannot leave Lord Stark," he replied. "Stay here with me, Lyvia. Marry me and stay here with me."

She knew she was being selfish. "I'll marry you, Jory, if you come to Winterfell. I don't want to get married here." She sniffled and her breaths came in short uneven gasps as she looked into his sad eyes.

"We will marry when I return to Winterfell," he promised, wiping away her tears. "Don't cry, my love."

She nodded and held her head up with a weak smile. But as he took a step away from her, she held her face in her hands and couldn't control her tears.

"I wish I could understand why you're upset," he said, holding her close against him.

She shook her head. "I wish I could tell you… but I can't."

"It's not that you can't… it's that you won't," he sighed. He peeled her away from his body and stared into her face. "I've trusted you thus far with all of your secrets… that camera thing… and your metal beast. Trust me and tell me what's happening."

She sighed and looked into his eyes. "You're going to die… in King's Landing," she whispered so low that it was almost inaudible.

He laughed. "Come now, Lyvia. You must find me stupid if you think I'll believe that."

His eyes never left her face, which remained serious and red. With a sigh, her eyes saddened even further and she stifled a sob. "You wanted the truth," she said.

He stopped laughing. "You can't be serious."

She nodded. "It's true."

"Who told you this?"

"No one," she responded, taking a seat on a feathery bed covered with silken sheets and brocade pillows with fringe and tassels. "I just know…"

"How do you know? It's so absurd."

"Jaime Lannister is going to kill you," she said. "You're going to fight… and he's going to kill you."

He turned his back to her.

"Don't you see? That's why I want you to come back to Winterfell with me. I don't want to lose you."

He sighed. "I can't just run away from something that may or may not happen."

She didn't want to confuse him further by adding the reason for the attack. "I'm not asking you to run away. I'm asking you to stay alive," she replied. "I know I can't ask you to abandon Lord Stark… but I want you to be very careful."

He turned around and rubbed his temple with his fingers. "This is insanity," he stated as he thought about her words. "What you're saying is mad!"

"It's not! I came all the way down here to tell you that I love you and to try to keep you safe!" She stood up and stomped her foot in frustration.

Jory crossed his arms and shook his head. "It's insane. Jaime Lannister is not going to kill me."

"You don't know him," she said.

"I've known him longer than I have you," he narrowed his eyes at her.

Those words stabbed through her heart and made it shrink tenfold. She stared at him for minutes that felt like hours, hoping he'd say something that would defuse the situation. But the longer she waited, the angrier she became. "Maybe it was a bad idea to come to King's Landing," she said in a low voice. She walked around the bed and picked up her cloak and scarf from the floor. Without another word, she opened the door.

"Perhaps, it was," he muttered. "You're making me choose between my duty and you…I love you, Lyvia Turner, but I will not leave the Starks or my duty."

She turned her head to the side as she listened to his words, but still left him in silence. Once she was in the hallway, she threw her cloak around her shoulders and rushed into the salon where Lord and Lady Stark were still talking with Ser Rodrik and Lord Baelish. Her eyes caught the surprised expression of Lady Stark as she passed through the room and headed out onto the street.

Throwing her scarf around her hair, she mounted her horse and rode out of the city as quickly as her horse could take her. But as she reached the mouth of the Kingsroad that led back to Winterfell, she stopped. She needed to ride with Lady Stark and Ser Rodrik so she could stop them from making a grievous mistake. _Damnit_, she thought. She still loved Jory and she'd risk changing the story just to keep him out of harm's way.

Turning her horse around, she slowly cantered back to the gates of King's Landing with a sigh. The guards looked at her as though she was a fool for running off quickly, then having to return with her head hung low. _I'm a fool for love,_ she thought as she dismounted and tied her horse beside Jory's.


	22. Chapter 22

**Author's note: I'm not sure if I like the direction I'm taking so any helpful comments and suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you for your support!**

Lyvia heard the voices in the salon as she stood by the doorway. Her throat tightened and she felt foolish for rushing out without thinking of the consequences. But she was a victim of her own recklessness. With a deep breath, she let out a sigh and pushed through the curtains silently. Her eyes fell to the floor and she avoided the gazes of Ser Rodrik and Lord Baelish, passing Lord and Lady Stark on her way to the private room.

She hoped that Jory was still in the room but soon she realized where she was and her feet carried her quickly down the hall. Several scantily clad women stood in the open doorway, giggling and peering into the room. "Hey!" Lyvia barked. She suddenly found herself jealous and territorial.

The girls scattered quickly like nervous little birds when they heard her voice, disappearing behind doors and down other corridors. Lyvia shuffled to the door with heavy steps, warning whoever was inside to be prepared for her arrival. With another deep breath, she appeared in the doorway to find Jory sitting on the bed with his head in his hands.

She was breathless as she stood in the entrance, her eyes darting around the room for any other girls. Closing the door, she padded to bed and stroked his hair.

"I said, leave me -!" Jory popped his head up with red eyes. "…Alone." His voice cracked as he choked on his words. He looked disappointed as his scowl changed into a frown.

Lyvia took a step back from him.

"Lyvia," he sighed. "Please, don't draw away from me."

"I can't help it," she whispered. "What you said to me earlier… those words hurt me."

He shook his head. "They are just words," he said.

"Sometimes words cut deeper than swords," she frowned and sighed. "Physical wounds can heal over time… but you don't know what kind of effect your words can have on someone. And it's the words of the ones you love that could hurt the most and cut the deepest."

Jory had no words for her. He stood and walked to the door in silence as Lyvia watched with tears in her eyes.

"Know that I'll always love you," she said when his fingers touched the door handle. Stifling a sob, she couldn't continue to watch and so she chose to turn her back to him until he was gone. She listened for the creak of the door and burst of warm air to enter the room. Holding her breath, she closed her eyes. But as she waited, there was no creaking and no warm air. Instead, she heard a bolt slide into place.

His hands fell to her shoulders and slid down to her neck, where he untied her cloak. Her hands met his as he removed the wool from her shoulders. He moved her hair to one side and whispered, "Let me look upon you, my lady."

Lyvia spun slowly to face him.

"I am happy that you've returned," he said with his arms on her shoulders.

"I came back in order to leave with Lady Stark and your uncle," she replied. Her eyes glanced around warily as though she felt they were being watched. "If I can prevent the start of the war, I will," she said in a whisper.

Jory looked confused. "We are not at war," he said in a low voice.

She shook her head. "Not yet… but if I don't stop Lady Stark from making a costly mistake, there will be," she replied. "And you'll be killed… along with countless others. All because she takes the imp." Her voice rose slightly as his hands slid down to hers and grasped them tightly. "I don't want you to die," she sighed.

"You care that much about me?" he asked.

She smirked. "I happen to like having you around me," she admitted. "I need to make sure they don't leave without me."

Jory smiled at her. "You'll probably stay the night and leave early in the morning." He pulled her closer to him.

Lyvia gazed into his eyes with a smile. "I have to ask you…about your last night in Winterfell."

"What about it?"

"I am positive I went into your bed with a gown on…but I didn't have it on when I woke up the next morning… Did we…erm… I mean. Did you and I…" she sighed.

"I promised not to dishonor you, and I kept that promise," he said kissing her on the forehead.

Lyvia breathed a sigh of relief. "But, who removed my gown in the middle of the night?"

He chuckled. "You did, my lady. You complained about it and threw it off… though I think you were still half-asleep when you did so. You bite in your sleep."

Lyvia widened her eyes. "I bite in my sleep? You were awake during all of this?"

He nodded. "You're a vision when you're not drooling or biting or muttering profanities. I did manage to quiet you down when I stroked your hair." His hand rose to her face and his fingers lightly grazed her cheek.

"So, you saw me naked…" Lyvia froze and her cheeks turned red.

"Not at all… you kept your modesty."

"You didn't peek at all?"

Jory smirked. "I made sure you didn't fall out of bed," he said. "But only because I had your safety in mind."

Lyvia snorted. "What a gentleman." She rolled her eyes and sat on the bed. "I should talk with Lady Stark…"

"If that is your wish," Jory said. He walked to the door and pulled back the bolt to unlock it.

Lyvia stood and joined Lord and Lady Stark in the salon. "Lady Stark," she interrupted them. "Please pardon the intrusion, but when do you plan to depart?"

"Early in the morning," Ser Rodrik said. "Best keep to ourselves tonight. Not draw any attention."

Lady Stark nodded. "Lord Baelish has been kind enough to offer accommodations, for a nominal fee."

"I'll have someone draw you a hot bath, Cat," Lord Baelish said. "You must be tired and the hot water will soothe your weary muscles and any aches."

"That won't be necessary, Petyr," she replied. "But perhaps Lyvia would like to use the bath."

"Very well," Lord Baelish said. "I will have the bath filled for you." He looked at Lyvia with a sly smirk and left the salon.

"You're staying here?" Lord Stark asked.

"I can't stay with you in the Tower of the Hand. I must keep our presence as private as possible, Ned," she replied. "I don't want anyone else to know I'm here. Especially the Lannisters."

Lord Stark nodded and glanced at Lyvia. "Where's Jory?"

"He's still in the private room, my lord," Lyvia replied in a low voice.

Lord Baelish returned with Jory in tow. "Come with me," he said to Lyvia, who nodded and followed. He placed a hand under her arm and led her down one of the narrower corridors to a small room. "It's not as grand as the royal family's or as luxurious, but…"

"No, thank you Lord Baelish, this is more than sufficient," Lyvia said with a polite smile.

"Are you enjoying the company of the Starks?" he asked.

Lyvia nodded.

"Cat never mentioned where in Westeros you are from…"

Lyvia nodded. "I know. It's not important," she said, entering the room with a large gilded bath. It steamed and filled the air with the smell of spices and scented oils. There were candles lit around the room but she didn't feel the same about this bath as she did with the one in Winterfell. She turned to Lord Baelish and thanked him for the hospitality as he closed the door.

With a frown, she undressed and sank into the hot water. She closed her eyes and allowed her muscles to relax but in the back of her mind, she was trying to find the right words to say to Lord Tyrion when she met him at the inn. What could she possibly say that would discourage him from entering? Could she trust him with the truth? Or could she just lie? She sighed.

She shook her head and sat up in the tub. The steam was still rising into the air and the smells of the spices irritated her. "I'm going to smell like a Christmas ham," she grumbled.

The door swung open and closed quickly, allowing a breath of air to blow into the room.

"Who's there?" Lyvia turned her head to see Jory's back to her.

"I'm sorry, my lady. I didn't know you were in here. Lord Baelish sent me in to cleanse myself in a bath."

Lyvia groaned. "All right," she stood up, sloshing the water around. She wrapped a sheet around her body and stepped out of the tub. "What are you doing?" she asked him as he kept his back to her.

"I am letting you have your privacy, my lady," he said.

"We both know you've already seen me naked… so why are you shy about it now?" She stormed over to Jory and bolted the door shut. "You can look at me if you want," she said, tightening the sheet around her body. Her cheeks flushed when his eyes scanned her from her head down to her feet. The sheet clung to her wet body, emphasizing her curves and hiding very little else. She might as well have been naked for him.

"I should be careful, my lady. I could be tempted by you and your beauty."

She rolled her eyes.

"Do I offend you?" he cocked his head to one side with a quizzical brow.

She shook her head with a laugh. "It's just so…cheesy! I know you mean what you say, but I'm just not used to that… and it sounds fake."

"I suppose you can thank your husband for that," he commented with a frown.

She shrugged. "I guess." She suddenly felt awkward and out of place. Her eyes lowered and her arms folded across her chest. Why did he have to bring up her husband? She felt exposed and alone as she stood before him. Her skin prickled from the cool air and she felt cold.

Without a word, he pulled her into his arms and warmed her.

"I don't want to talk about my husband again… unless we're talking about you," she whispered. She heard his heart beat faster as he tightened his arms around her. "I love you, Jory Cassel," she sighed.

He lifted her chin and crushed her mouth with his as he pinned her against the door.

Lyvia opened her eyes to the sounds of padded feet in the hallway. Lifting her head from Jory's chest, she heard the sound of paper sliding under the door. Her body ached and her skin shined with sweat as she slid out of the bed and tiptoed to the door. She pressed her ear to the wood, but heard no sounds.

The slip of paper curled by her toes. Taking it to the closest candle, she tried to read the fine script. _We are leaving. Come to the Kingsroad outside the gates. Come alone._ Her stomach tied into knots.

"Come back to bed, my love," Jory whispered.

Lyvia jumped from the fright and nearly burnt the paper in her hands.

"What is that?" he asked, sitting up.

She hid it behind her back. "Nothing," she lied.

Jory stood up from the bed and joined her. "What are you hiding?" He reached behind her, pressing his skin against hers, and causing her to lose her concentration for a moment. He snatched the note from her hand.

"Hey!"

He held it up against the light. "Where did you get this?" He squinted to read it and frowned.

"It was slipped under the door."

"This was not written by Lady Stark or my uncle. I don't recognize this hand. It is not Lord Stark's either." He turned to her. "You're not going."

"I'd like to know who sent it," she replied, quickly taking the note back from him.

"Are you mad?" he asked. "It could be a trap… or a trick."

"Who knows I'm here? And who cares?" she asked with a shrug.

"I care," he said firmly with his arms folded across his chest. "And you will not go… if you choose to go, I will accompany you."

"You're not my keeper," she frowned, returning to the bed. She sat upon the feather mattress and watched him.

"I'm going to keep my eye on you," he said as he joined her. His eyes observed her carefully as his hands pushed her down against the pillows. "You know I won't allow you to do anything hasty." He kissed her.

She nodded and sighed. It was just a matter of time before he'd fall asleep beside her and she would be able to sneak out of the room. So, she bided her time with kisses and tender strokes against his skin. But as time passed, her eyes became droopy and she felt tired. Before long, she was asleep in his arms, peacefully drifting away.

When she opened her eyes, it was still dark. Or at least, all she could see was darkness. A fabric covered her head, thin but tightly woven so no light could enter. She was amazed that she was still able to breathe. She tried to move her hands, but they were tied together tightly in her lap. Raising her arms, she tried to remove the bag over her head, but a pair of hands stopped her.


	23. Chapter 23

**Author's Note: Sorry I had a little bit of writer's block lately - and I'm not sure if I like where this is going... but here's the next. Hope you like the direction I'm taking. Thanks!**

The hands were soft and smooth and feminine, though the fingers were a little on the thicker side. Lyvia could have sworn it belonged to a very hefty female, perhaps a septa, who had done too much needlework. "There will be time enough later," a very soft voice said.

Lyvia knew that voice. The Spider, Lord Varys. "What do you want?" she asked, confused.

"Lyvvie?" A female voice said.

"Kate?" Lyvia shot her hands up again and successfully removed the bag from her head. She squinted around the small, yet comfortable room. In one corner, Kate sat in a padded chair with a book in her lap. "What the hell?!" She looked up at the bald eunuch with a curious expression.

"Our lovely Kate has been informing me of all of the interesting things from your world," Lord Varys said in a soft voice. "Of course, persons such as yourselves would find danger should such information fall into the wrong hands." He wore brownish green silks and soft slippers that padded his movements, which were quite deft and delicate for such a plump man.

"Would you mind untying me, now?" Lyvia asked, holding up her hands. She had so many questions for him and for Kate that she didn't know where to begin. Instead, her face became red and her expression impatient as the color swept from her neck up into her cheeks and to her ears.

"I know that look," Kate laughed softly. She placed a quill in between the pages of her book to mark her place and placed it beside her in the chair. Rising, she seemed taller than Lyvia remembered her with more grace than a gazelle. Her red Melisandre hair was gone and replaced with her curly blond hair. She no longer wore her red robes, but a light blue silk robe and a few jewels.

"How long have you been here?" Lyvia asked as Kate untied her hands.

Kate frowned. "Is that all you can say? No, I've missed you, Kate? I'm sorry I left you in the woods so that bandits could find you and try to sell you to a whorehouse? No… of course not." Her words were bitter.

"I left you in the car with a note," Lyvia said. "I was coming back for you. I came back with Jory and some of his guards."

"Jory?"

"Ahh… the Stark's captain of the guards, Jory Cassel," Varys smiled. "He's a very loyal fellow."

Lyvia narrowed her eyes at the Spider. "How did I get here?" Her face became enflamed as she eyed the bald man that sat beside her nervously. She felt her heart race as she stared at Kate and at Varys in equal shares of attention. "Well?"

Lord Varys thought for a moment in silence, placing his hands within the voluminous sleeves of his robes. "When you did not answer my invitation, I had to ensure you were safe," he said.

"Safe? I was fine with Jory," Lyvia's voice rose.

"Safe with Jory?" Kate's eyes widened and a smile curled onto her lips.

"I am sorry, Lyvia," Lord Varys said. "I had no other choice than to bring you here."

"Do you realize what you're doing?" Lyvia asked.

"I should ask you the same," Varys said. "And when you said to your captain of the guards that _she takes the imp_, what did you really mean?"

Lyvia's face drained of color as she stared at the serious expression on the Spider's face. "How did you…?" She stopped herself. She knew the answer. The Spider has little birds everywhere. Eyes and ears that whisper to him little secrets that people think are sacred and theirs alone, but in truth, once they are out into the air, the words are caught on the Spider's web, forever exposed. "Of course, I should have known that nothing is safe in King's Landing… or anywhere else Westeros."

"You flatter me, my dear," the Spider said. "Does the she involve Lady Catelyn Stark?"

Lyvia remained calm. "Has she left already? With Ser Rodrik?"

Lord Varys nodded. "She and Ser Rodrik rode out a day ago."

"And Jory?"

"The captain of the guard was kind enough to investigate the invitation I had sent… and while he was out on the Kingsroad, I was able to arrange your transportation to new accommodations. Lord Baelish was kind enough to assist me when I told him that it would affect the fate of his beloved Catelyn. He's still quite smitten with the Lady Stark, which is very easy to see and also so easy to manipulate."

Lyvia frowned. "I have to catch up to Lady Stark," she said, standing up.

"I'm sorry, my dear, but I cannot allow you such liberties. You and your friend are welcome to stay here for as long as it is wise. We will send for your other little friend, the strange girl, from Winterfell."

"Mandy can't come down here herself," Lyvia said. "She's way too incompetent."

"Isn't she the loony one who thought she was Daenerys?" Kate asked.

"No. That was Maureen," Lyvia replied.

"Ah, yes, the Daenerys imposter in Winterfell," Lord Varys said. "It's such a shame for her and Jon Snow's deaths. I also understand there were two others, Brothers of the Night's Watch, that also perished in Winterfell?"

"It was all a misunderstanding," Lyvia said.

"Deaths?" Kate's eyes began to water and her lip trembled.

"Maureen was murdered. Peter died from a wound that festered after a scuffle with one of the Lannister guards. The two guys in the back – one died from the cold and I think Lord Stark executed the other."

"Executed? You mean this isn't a role-playing party?"

Lyvia shook her head. "Why does everyone think that?"

"It's just… too… all too perfect. I mean, everyone acts the way they did on the show… and… it's just impossible to be anything but fake," Kate said. "And Lord Varys has been taking very good care of me here."

"Where is here? Where are we?" Lyvia looked around and actually paid attention for the first time. The room was decorated with ornamental rugs and an old tapestry on the wall that depicted a great dragon breathing fire upon a group of burnt up warriors. The hearth glowed brightly across the room, where Kate had sat with her book and there were candles all around.

"You are in one of the warmer cells below the Red Keep," Lord Varys said. "It was said that when Maegor I finished the construction of the keep, he had all of those involved in the construction killed to preserve its secrets. Who knows what other secrets the Red Keep has yet to tell?"

Lyvia frowned. "We're in a dungeon?"

Varys shook his head slightly. "Dungeons are cold and impersonal. And they hardly befit you or our lovely Kate. No, my dear, this room is in a secret wing of the Red Keep. It is only through my whisperers that I even know of such a place."

"I can't stay here. I need to stop Lady Stark from making a grave mistake… I can take Kate with me."

"Me? Ride a horse? Hardly!" Kate pouted.

"How did you get here then?"

"The thugs who found me threw me onto the back of one of their horses. I didn't like it," she snorted.

"They brought the young lady to one of the brothels, though not after having use of her first," Lord Varys frowned. "It was a sad sight... the poor thing was starved and beaten… and lost."

Kate crossed her arms and returned to her seat by the fire. She looked different from what Lyvia remembered of her. Her warm blue eyes were now icy cold and suspicious and she rarely smiled. Her lips were turned downward into a frown since she saw her.

"Kate… I'm sorry," Lyvia said to her.

Kate glared at her and ignored her. "I waited here for months," she said.

"Lord Varys could have sent a raven," Lyvia turned to the Spider. "Why did you not inform the Starks of her discovery?"

"I did not want to weigh the Starks down with such trivial news… especially after what they've gone through with their young son."

"I never would have thought to look for you here," Lyvia said. "If it weren't for my love for…" She stopped herself from completing the sentence.

"Yes, your affections for the captain of the guards… such a sweet story indeed," Lord Varys gave her a polite smile but he seemed less than interested in such things.

"You're in love with Jory?" Kate dropped her book to her lap with her mouth half-opened. "Oh my God, Lyvvie!"

"Shut up!" Lyvia said. "It wasn't planned… and I didn't want it to happen. I didn't want to change the story."

Kate looked as though she wanted to bounce. Her face swelled into a large grin and she slid to the edge of her seat. "I can't believe it!"

"Are they looking for me? Jory? Lord Stark?" Lyvia asked.

Lord Varys grinned at her. "My dear, they believe you left with Lady Stark."

"But I didn't say goodbye to Jory… surely, he would have found that suspicious!"

The Spider shook his head. "He believes the letter you wrote to him… the letter which read how you love him and how you will miss him… but you must go back to Winterfell… where you belong."

Lyvia sat down on the feather mattress beside Lord Varys. "Then, that's it. Jory's going to die… and then Lord Stark…" she sighed.

"Come now, my dear. Such things are horrible to even imagine."

"You don't understand," Lyvia said. "Lady Stark will happen to meet up with Lord Tyrion at an inn near the Trident. She will have him arrested for the attempted murder of her son, Bran… and with that, the war will begin."

Lord Varys knitted his fingers in his lap.

Lyvia was desperate. She needed to find a way to stop Lady Stark from taking Tyrion and perhaps, avoid the confrontation between Lord Stark and Jory with the Lannister guards and Jaime. "The news will fly down the Kingsroad and Jaime Lannister will confront Lord Stark… there'll be a fight and Jory will be killed by Jaime… and Lord Stark will become wounded."

"And don't forget about the King," Kate jumped in.

"The King?" the Spider asked.

"The King will die and Joffrey will become the new king… little punk," Kate muttered.

"The King will die?" Lord Varys looked nervous. "The King will die how?"

Lyvia glanced at Kate.

"Poison, wasn't it?" Kate said with a shrug.

"He got injured when hunting wild boar," Lyvia said to her. "He was so drunk that a boar gored him, mortally wounding him. Remember? The Queen's cousin was his squire and gave him such strong wine that he got drunk as a skunk and couldn't even stand straight?"

Kate shrugged. "He was a loud and drunken king anyway," she snorted. "I'd like to see Daenerys take the throne."

"Once the King dies, his brothers and Joffrey will fight for the throne… and the Greyjoys and Robb Stark will fight to separate from the Seven Kingdoms… All this because Lord Stark finds out information that he shouldn't have – of course, if Joffrey was truly King Robert's trueborn son, none of this would really be an issue."

Lord Varys listened intensely with wide eyes. "And the Targaryen girl?"

Kate jumped in. "She marries a hot barbarian across the narrow sea and she gets pregnant. Then she gets dragons."

Lyvia shot a glare at Kate. "She doesn't give birth to dragons…"

"I didn't say she did… I just can't believe you and Jory… Is he cute?" Kate smiled at her warmly for once.

Lyvia nodded. "He's very handsome and he's very sweet." She turned to Varys. "Can I please try to stop Lady Stark?"

Varys sighed heavily and stood from his seat. "I will see what I can do to help you, my dear. But it may come at a cost."

"Let me add, Lord Varys, that I already know that the realm is in grave debt to the Lannisters as well as the Tyrells and God knows how many other houses. Joffrey will be a lousy king… and Cersei will not be able to control her son as she thinks. It would be in the best interest of the realm to prevent King Robert's accident…"


End file.
